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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of shelter beds that will be available in (a) hostels and (b) emergency night shelters during winter 2020-21.

Homeless Link provide information on the number of hostels in their annual review of single homelessness - https://www.homeless.org.uk/facts/our-research/annual-review-of-single-homelessness-support-in-england.

The Department are monitoring the opening of shelters. Our expert rough sleeping advisers are working closely with local authorities to monitor the plans of shelter providers across the country and ensuring that they offer Covid-secure services, should their local authority deem it necessary for them to open.

We are working closely with all local authorities to ensure that they have the necessary winter provision available.