Refugees: Homelessness Debate

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Department: Home Office

Refugees: Homelessness

Lord Scriven Excerpts
Wednesday 13th December 2023

(4 months, 3 weeks ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Sharpe of Epsom Portrait Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)
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My Lords, Covid presented a very different set of challenges to those we face today. We are attempting to relieve the pressure on the enormously overburdened hotels, and all the rest of it, that are costing this country £8 million a day and £4 billion a year.

Lord Scriven Portrait Lord Scriven (LD)
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My Lords, following on from my noble friend’s question, the Minister is correct that the Government are trying to align the permit period but, once a permit is received, it takes at least another five weeks before universal credit and housing benefit applications can be dealt with. Will the Minister go back to the department and look at the broader picture to align the two timescales so that people are not made homeless because they cannot claim those benefits?

Lord Sharpe of Epsom Portrait Lord Sharpe of Epsom (Con)
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I will take that up with DWP colleagues, as it sounds very much like it is for their department. I cannot answer the question.