Overview

This bill aims to ensure that homeless individuals with terminal illnesses receive appropriate housing and end-of-life care. It amends the Housing Act 1996 to prioritize their needs and requires cooperation between housing authorities, social services, and healthcare providers.

Description

The bill makes several key changes to the Housing Act 1996:

• Section 191A: Defines "eligible for end-of-life care" as individuals a medical practitioner believes will die within 12 months or are receiving end-of-life treatment. These individuals are not considered intentionally homeless.
• Section 189A: Allows for regulations to be created to further define what local authorities must consider when assessing the needs of individuals eligible for end-of-life care.
• Part 7 Amendments: Modifies existing housing duty conditions to ensure that those eligible for end-of-life care are given priority in housing assistance and have a local connection deemed to exist wherever they are physically present.
• Pilot Schemes: Authorizes funding for pilot schemes to support homeless people eligible for end-of-life care and mandates reviews of those schemes.
• Co-operation: Requires cooperation between local housing authorities, social services authorities, and clinical commissioning groups to provide appropriate accommodation and care for those eligible.
• Homelessness (Priority Need for Accommodation) (England) Order 2002: Amends the order to include those eligible for end-of-life care as a priority need group.

Government Spending

The bill allows for government spending on pilot schemes designed to provide effective support to homeless people eligible for end-of-life care. Specific funding figures are not provided in the bill itself.

Groups Affected

• Homeless individuals with terminal illnesses: This bill directly benefits them by giving them priority access to housing and end-of-life care.
• Local Housing Authorities: They will have new responsibilities for assessing and meeting the housing needs of this group and are required to cooperate with other agencies.
• Social Services Authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups: These agencies are required to cooperate with local housing authorities to deliver comprehensive care and are tasked with supporting vulnerable populations.
• Medical Practitioners: They will play a crucial role in assessing eligibility for end-of-life care and are prohibited from charging for such assessments.

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