Sweeping plans to abolish the “exclusionary” priority need and intentionality tests for homelessness support in Wales have cleared the first hurdle in the Senedd.

Senedd members agreed the principles of the homelessness bill without objection, doing away with the need for a vote following a “stage-one” debate on 4 November.

Housing secretary Jayne Bryant explained the bill would better protect the workforce as well as abolish the priority need and intentionality tests for homelessness support.

She told the Senedd: “Our focus is how to help people – not whether to help people,” outlining a trauma-informed approach focused on prevention and early intervention.

She said phased implementation is expected to cost £247m over 10 years, outweighed by estimated benefits of more than £480m.