# Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977, Section 2: Priority need for accommodation


(1) For the purposes of this Act a homeless person or a person threatened with homelessness has a priority need for accommodation when the housing authority are satisfied that he is within one of the following categories:—
(a) he has dependent children who are residing with him or who might reasonably be expected to reside with him;
(b) he is homeless or threatened with homelessness as a result of any emergency such as flood, fire or any other disaster;
(c) he or any person who resides or might reasonably be expected to reside with him is vulnerable as a result of old age, mental illness or handicap or physical disability or other special reason.
(2) For the purposes of this Act a homeless person or a person threatened with homelessness who is a pregnant woman or resides or might reasonably be expected to reside with a pregnant woman has a priority need for accommodation.
(3) The Secretary of State may by order, made after appropriate consultations,—
(a) specify further categories of persons as having a priority need for accommodation, and
(b) amend or repeal any part of subsection (1) or (2) above.
(4) No order under subsection (3) above shall be made unless a draft of the order has been approved by resolution of each House of Parliament.
(5) Any reference in this Act to a person having a priority need is a reference to his having a priority need for accommodation within the meaning of this section or any order for the time being in force under subsection (3) above.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/48/section/2 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/housing-homeless-persons-act-1977/section-2
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.