Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's announcement of 13 October 2020 on COVID-19: provision of night shelters, what steps the Government is taking to help support shelters which are not financially viable for re-opening with fewer guests during the covid-19 outbreak.

On 13 October, the Government announced additional support for rough sleepers this winter, giving local areas the tools they need to protect people from cold weather and the risks posed by COVID-19.

Building on the £6.4 billion already given to councils to help them manage the impacts of COVID-19, this announcement includes a new £10 million Cold Weather Fund for local areas to bring forward COVID-secure accommodation. This is in addition to the new £2 million Transformation Fund for the faith, community and voluntary groups to help them provide secure accommodation for rough sleepers.

Alongside this, comprehensive guidance to the sector, produced with Public Health England and Homeless Link, has been published to help them open shelters more safely in situations where this decision needs to be taken and where not doing so would endanger lives.

We have allocated £91.5 million to Local Authorities from the Next Steps Accommodation Programme and have a £161 million fund this year to bring forward long term accommodation for rough sleepers.