Homelessness and Allocations

Written for housing practitioners and advisers seeking authoritative, accurate and accessible guidance on local authority duties, the revised sixth edition of this handbook includes a new code of guidance which changes practice in England and Wales.

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The Housing Act 1996 completely revised the law on homelessness - linking it closely to that on the allocation of housing. Since then, the Homelessness Act 2002 has substantively amended the 1996 Act and added a strategic duty on local authorities. Meanwhile, those falling outside the homelessness safety net are increasingly seeking recourse to other legislation - including National Assistance Act 1948, Children Act 1989 and Local Government Act 2000. Written for housing practitioners and advisers seeking authoritative, accurate and accessible guidance on local authority duties, the revised sixth edition of this handbook has been updated to include analysis of all the new developments, including: the Homelessness Act 2002; the Human Rights Act 1998; all the case-law from the Housing Act 1996 - in particular on internal review and county court appeal procedure; and use of the National Assistance Act 1948, the Children Act 1989 and the Local Government Act 2000. It also includes a new code of guidance which changes practice in England and Wales. The text clearly sets the law in its context, and appendices reproduce all the relevant legislation, statutory instruments and guidance.