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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when the application process for the Cold Weather Fund will open; and when organisations will be informed about the allocation of that funding.

The Government recently announced a new £10 million Cold Weather Fund to support councils in helping rough sleepers off the streets during the winter by assisting them in providing more self-contained accommodation.

This is alongside an additional?£2 million for faith and community groups to help them provide secure accommodation?for rough sleepers, and comprehensive guidance to the sector, produced with Public Health England, Homeless Link and Housing Justice to help shelters open more safely, where not doing so would endanger lives.

We will be setting out how local authorities can access the Cold Weather Fund shortly.