Consultation response: modifying local connection provisions

These changes are an important step in a fundamental transformation of the way that homelessness assessments are made in Scotland as recommended by the Homelessness Task Force.1 Suspending the power for a local authority to refer an applicant to another local authority on grounds of local connection is a positive move that allows reasonable freedom of movement and fairness to people in immediate housing need. We do not believe that these changes will create significant additional resource pressures for individual local authorities. However, it is important to monitor the impact of suspending the local connection test separately from the impact on applications caused to changes to priority need categories.