Legislative Changes to Part 7 Housing Act 1996

In September 2026 we will see some significant amendments to Part 7 Housing Act 1996 brought in by the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026.

1.    Notification requirements when placing children in interim or temporary accommodation – S213AA

Where a child is placed in interim or temporary accommodation following a homelessness application, the council must seek parental (or, in specified cases, the young person's) consent to notify the child's GP, health-visiting service and educational institution (e.g. school, college or other educational institution), and, if consent is given, must take reasonable steps to make those notifications within 14 days.

It does not apply to any other offers, e.g. PRS or social housing to end a particular duty.

The 14-day period runs from the latest of:

1. receiving consent;

2. receiving the information needed to identify the organisations; or

3. the child being placed in the accommodation.

The duties to seek consent and make notifications arise only once for each homelessness assistance application.

The Code of Guidance will be amended and also recommends that notifications are made, with consent, in cases where there is a pregnant woman.

This will come into force from 1 September 2026.

Our sister company Aplos Housing Resources will have a notification letter.

2.    Change to who cannot be found intentionally homeless – S191(1ZA)

This section changes the Housing Act 1996 so that certain care leavers cannot be treated as having become intentionally homeless. Up until now a care leavers could be found intentionally homeless as long as the decision was signed off by both the local housing authority and children services. This will no longer be the case.  

The protection applies to:

• Relevant children under section 23A(2) of the Children Act 1989.

• Former relevant children under the age of 25 under section 23C(1) of that Act.

The amendments mean that the usual rules about intentional homelessness do not apply to these care leavers.

The changes also clarify that the existing intentional homelessness provisions continue to apply to other people who are not covered by these new protections.

Transitional provision: The changes generally apply to homelessness applications made on or after the section comes into force. However, they can also apply to an earlier application if the local housing authority has not yet made its decision on whether the applicant is eligible and homeless under section 184(1)(a) and (b) of the Housing Act 1996.

This will come into force on 30 September 2026.