The Issues

Under Section 189 of the Housing Act 1996, a homeless person will have a priority need for rehousing if s/he is vulnerable as a result of "mental illness or learning disability (mental handicap) or physical disability". In theory, this should mean that disabled people get the help that they need when they are homeless but this is not always the case. Not all people with disabilities are accepted as priority need. Even when they are accepted, disabled people do not always get temporary or permanent housing that meets their needs.