Rachel Blake

DWP pays local authorities a Housing Benefit subsidy for temporary accommodation cases. There are restrictions on the amount paid, including a subsidy cap which is £500 per week in certain areas of London or £375 elsewhere.

We appreciate these are difficult times and local authorities are subject to many funding pressures. However, any increases to the Housing Benefit subsidy paid to local authorities would need to be taken in the context of the government’s missions, goals on housing, and the fiscal position.

We will continue to keep the subsidy arrangements under review.

The Department started moving customers who were claiming Employment Support Allowance with Child Tax Credits to Universal Credit from July. From September we will begin moving across customers receiving Employment and Support Allowance only or those with ESA with housing benefit. These plans are informed by learning, which started in June, where 500 ESA customers were invited to claim Universal Credit.

For DWP customers in receipt of ESA, DWP has agreed to continue to pay customers their legacy benefit for a further two weeks from when their legacy benefit stops to support a seamless continuation of payments. All customers will automatically receive a two-week run on of those benefits.

The DWP continues to learn and iterate its approach as we continue to move people to Universal Credit. We remain committed to ensuring that the transition to Universal Credit works as smoothly as possible for all customers, including the most vulnerable in society.

In June we invited 500 ESA customers to claim Universal Credit. This trial helped us learn and will allow us to start moving across customers receiving Employment and Support Allowance only or those with ESA with housing benefit at scale from September 2024.

In addition, DWP has developed an enhanced support journey for ESA and Income Support customers and remains confident that this provides effective support for our most vulnerable customers.

The standard process for confirming the total funding amount for major infrastructure projects involves the review and approval of a Full Business Case. All trusts in the programme have previously received indicative funding allocations to support planning, however these are commercially sensitive.

Up to the end of 2023/24 the total amount received by the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in funding for their new hospital schemes is £13 million. The trust has two schemes in the New Hospital Programme for the Charing Cross Hospital and Hammersmith Hospital, as well as the scheme for St Mary’s Hospital. Up to the end of 2023/24, the funding allocated to the trust was not separated by the individual schemes.

The breakdown of how much the trust received for their new hospital scheme is published annually as part of the Department’s Annual Reports and Accounts, with Public Dividend Capital to individual Trusts included in the Financial Assistance Report under section 40 of the National Health Service Act 2006. The 2022/23 report is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023

The trust is currently developing their Strategic Outline Case for the St Mary’s Hospital scheme and are at Royal Institute of British Architects Stage 1.

The standard process for confirming the total funding amount for major infrastructure projects involves the review and approval of a Full Business Case. All trusts in the programme have previously received indicative funding allocations to support planning, however these are commercially sensitive.

Up to the end of 2023/24 the total amount received by the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in funding for their new hospital schemes is £13 million. The trust has two schemes in the New Hospital Programme for the Charing Cross Hospital and Hammersmith Hospital, as well as the scheme for St Mary’s Hospital. Up to the end of 2023/24, the funding allocated to the trust was not separated by the individual schemes.

The breakdown of how much the trust received for their new hospital scheme is published annually as part of the Department’s Annual Reports and Accounts, with Public Dividend Capital to individual Trusts included in the Financial Assistance Report under section 40 of the National Health Service Act 2006. The 2022/23 report is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023

The trust is currently developing their Strategic Outline Case for the St Mary’s Hospital scheme and are at Royal Institute of British Architects Stage 1.

The standard process for confirming the total funding amount for major infrastructure projects involves the review and approval of a Full Business Case. All trusts in the programme have previously received indicative funding allocations to support planning, however these are commercially sensitive.

Up to the end of 2023/24 the total amount received by the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in funding for their new hospital schemes is £13 million. The trust has two schemes in the New Hospital Programme for the Charing Cross Hospital and Hammersmith Hospital, as well as the scheme for St Mary’s Hospital. Up to the end of 2023/24, the funding allocated to the trust was not separated by the individual schemes.

The breakdown of how much the trust received for their new hospital scheme is published annually as part of the Department’s Annual Reports and Accounts, with Public Dividend Capital to individual Trusts included in the Financial Assistance Report under section 40 of the National Health Service Act 2006. The 2022/23 report is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023

The trust is currently developing their Strategic Outline Case for the St Mary’s Hospital scheme and are at Royal Institute of British Architects Stage 1.

The standard process for confirming the total funding amount for major infrastructure projects involves the review and approval of a Full Business Case. All trusts in the programme have previously received indicative funding allocations to support planning, however these are commercially sensitive.

Up to the end of 2023/24 the total amount received by the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in funding for their new hospital schemes is £13 million. The trust has two schemes in the New Hospital Programme for the Charing Cross Hospital and Hammersmith Hospital, as well as the scheme for St Mary’s Hospital. Up to the end of 2023/24, the funding allocated to the trust was not separated by the individual schemes.

The breakdown of how much the trust received for their new hospital scheme is published annually as part of the Department’s Annual Reports and Accounts, with Public Dividend Capital to individual Trusts included in the Financial Assistance Report under section 40 of the National Health Service Act 2006. The 2022/23 report is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023

The trust is currently developing their Strategic Outline Case for the St Mary’s Hospital scheme and are at Royal Institute of British Architects Stage 1.

The government is considering a range of appointments following the election, including that of the Prime Minister's Anti-Corruption Champion. When there are appointments to announce, this will be done in the usual way.

The government takes the issue of corruption extremely seriously and is currently considering its approach towards a future UK Anti-Corruption Strategy.

The Government recognises that homelessness levels are far too high and that this can have a devastating impact on those involved. That is why we will take the action needed to tackle this issue and develop a long-term, cross-government strategy working with Mayors and Councils to put us back on track to end homelessness for good. The NAO’s report shines a light on this important issue, and we will consider their recommendations as we develop our strategy.

The £4.2 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) is now fully allocated to HIF projects. As of the end of June this year, £1.8 billion had been drawn down by local authorities.

The Department estimates that HIF has unlocked c260,000 homes. Local Authorities report starts and completions on housing developments facilitated by HIF investment to Homes England and the Department. Based on these returns, c29,000 homes have been started of which c18,500 have been completed.

It should, however, be noted that these Local Authority returns are not verified by government and should not be regarded as official statistics.

The £4.2 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) is now fully allocated to HIF projects. As of the end of June this year, £1.8 billion had been drawn down by local authorities.

The Department estimates that HIF has unlocked c260,000 homes. Local Authorities report starts and completions on housing developments facilitated by HIF investment to Homes England and the Department. Based on these returns, c29,000 homes have been started of which c18,500 have been completed.

It should, however, be noted that these Local Authority returns are not verified by government and should not be regarded as official statistics.

The £4.2 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) is now fully allocated to HIF projects. As of the end of June this year, £1.8 billion had been drawn down by local authorities.

The Department estimates that HIF has unlocked c260,000 homes. Local Authorities report starts and completions on housing developments facilitated by HIF investment to Homes England and the Department. Based on these returns, c29,000 homes have been started of which c18,500 have been completed.

It should, however, be noted that these Local Authority returns are not verified by government and should not be regarded as official statistics.

The Deputy Prime Minister is responsible for cross-governmental coordination of policy to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping and will update in due course.