Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an estimate of the number of people from Ukraine that have sought homelessness support after being in the UK for more than six months since February 2023.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Some of this information is published via survey data which is voluntarily provided and regularly updated on gov.uk.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Homelessness management information - Ukrainian nationals: England, updated by his Department on 29 June 2023, if he will make an estimate of the average numbers of people in each household of Ukrainian nationals.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities does not currently collect or hold information on the average household size of Ukrainian households who have had a homelessness duty accepted by an English local housing authority.
Through our Homelessness Pressures Management Information, we do collect some homelessness data on Ukrainian households. As of 31 July, English local authorities have accepted 7,300 homelessness prevention and relief duties for Ukrainian households since 24 February 2022. On 31 July, English local authorities reported providing temporary accommodation for 700 Ukrainian households.
Our Homelessness Pressures Management Information data is ad-hoc and voluntarily provided. It is regularly published on gov.uk.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an estimate of the number of Ukrainian households receiving a homelessness relief duty from local authorities in England.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities does not currently collect or hold information on the average household size of Ukrainian households who have had a homelessness duty accepted by an English local housing authority.
Through our Homelessness Pressures Management Information, we do collect some homelessness data on Ukrainian households. As of 31 July, English local authorities have accepted 7,300 homelessness prevention and relief duties for Ukrainian households since 24 February 2022. On 31 July, English local authorities reported providing temporary accommodation for 700 Ukrainian households.
Our Homelessness Pressures Management Information data is ad-hoc and voluntarily provided. It is regularly published on gov.uk.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people expected to be supported by the Homelessness Prevention Fund by 31 March 2024.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Homelessness Prevention Grant is used by councils to support households that are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Data on households owed a homelessness duty is available here.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent estimate he has made of the number of people who will receive support through the Homelessness Prevention Grant.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Homelessness Prevention Grant is used by councils to support households that are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Data on households owed a homelessness duty is available here.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many Homes for Ukraine scheme hosts (a) qualify and (b) do not qualify to receive the increased thank you payment for the financial year 2023-2024.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish the number of Homes for Ukraine hosts who (a) qualify to receive the increased thank you payment and (b) do not qualify to receive the increased thank you payment because their guests have not been in the UK for more than 12 months for the 2023-24 financial year.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The information requested is not held centrally.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to ensure greater consistency in the support provided to Ukrainian refugees and their hosts across the two Visa Schemes; if he will extend the initial £200 interim payment to everyone arriving on the Ukraine Family Scheme in all UK nations; and if he will protect hosts on the Ukraine Family Scheme from increases in council tax bills as a result of hosting additional people.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
As announced in December 2022, all Homes for Ukraine sponsors will receive an increased 'thank you' payment of £500 a month once guests have been in the country for over a year. Where sponsorships can no longer continue for the financial year 2023/24, all councils will receive help to house Ukrainians through a one-off pot of government funding worth £150 million. The guidance and breakdown of the £150 million funding by local authority can be accessed here.
This money can be used flexibly to support Ukrainians into the private rented sector, amongst other things. For instance it can be used to provide deposits or rent advances, or to offer guarantees.
Ukrainians arriving under both the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and the Ukraine Family Scheme have the same entitlement to work, pensions, health provision, education, and access to benefits. These are effective from as soon as a Ukrainian guest has a valid visa and arrives in the UK. Both schemes provide a right to remain for three years.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on bringing forward the increase of the monthly payment for hosts on the Homes for Ukraine scheme before people have been in the UK for 12 months, and whether such payments will be extended to hosts on the Family Visa Scheme.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
As announced in December 2022, all Homes for Ukraine sponsors will receive an increased 'thank you' payment of £500 a month once guests have been in the country for over a year. Where sponsorships can no longer continue for the financial year 2023/24, all councils will receive help to house Ukrainians through a one-off pot of government funding worth £150 million. The guidance and breakdown of the £150 million funding by local authority can be accessed here.
This money can be used flexibly to support Ukrainians into the private rented sector, amongst other things. For instance it can be used to provide deposits or rent advances, or to offer guarantees.
Ukrainians arriving under both the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and the Ukraine Family Scheme have the same entitlement to work, pensions, health provision, education, and access to benefits. These are effective from as soon as a Ukrainian guest has a valid visa and arrives in the UK. Both schemes provide a right to remain for three years.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield, Hallam)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will provide a breakdown of how the £150 million of UK-wide funding in the 2023/24 financial year for local authorities and devolved governments to help Ukrainians move into their own homes has been spent and allocated as of 2 June 2023.
Answered by Felicity Buchan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
As announced in December 2022, all Homes for Ukraine sponsors will receive an increased 'thank you' payment of £500 a month once guests have been in the country for over a year. Where sponsorships can no longer continue for the financial year 2023/24, all councils will receive help to house Ukrainians through a one-off pot of government funding worth £150 million. The guidance and breakdown of the £150 million funding by local authority can be accessed here.
This money can be used flexibly to support Ukrainians into the private rented sector, amongst other things. For instance it can be used to provide deposits or rent advances, or to offer guarantees.
Ukrainians arriving under both the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and the Ukraine Family Scheme have the same entitlement to work, pensions, health provision, education, and access to benefits. These are effective from as soon as a Ukrainian guest has a valid visa and arrives in the UK. Both schemes provide a right to remain for three years.