Homelessness

(asked on 22nd February 2022) - View Source

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that abandoned and unused buildings are utilised to increase the number of bed spaces available to homeless people.


Answered by
Eddie Hughes Portrait
Eddie Hughes
This question was answered on 2nd March 2022

This Government has committed over £800 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping this year. This includes £202 million through the Rough Sleeping Initiative, funding up to 14,500 bed spaces and 2,700 support staff across England. The £433 million Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme will provide 6,000 move-on homes and accompanying support services to those who are rough sleeping or who have a history of sleeping rough.

The Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP) has placed a strong emphasis on the use and refurbishment of empty or moribund housing, stock with notable examples in the North of England. This includes the 'Right Sizing' initiative in Liverpool to modernise 70 empty and largely 2-bed properties with downstairs bathrooms, by moving the bathroom upstairs and creating high quality housing for single people or couples. Fairmount Lodge in Bradford has modernised a long-term empty building to create modern homes for 18 rough sleepers, and Champions Court in St Helens has taken two blocks of long-term empty, fire damaged or small flats and created modern homes for 28 rough sleepers.

In addition, whilst the Affordable Homes Programme is focussed on the development of new supply, through the Programme, grant funding is available to turn empty private sector homes into new social and affordable homes.

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