Homelessness: Temporary Accommodation

(asked on 1st February 2021) - View Source

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that all temporary homeless accommodation has accessible cooking, washing, and cleaning facilities.


Answered by
Eddie Hughes Portrait
Eddie Hughes
This question was answered on 8th February 2021

Reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation is a priority for this Government. This is why we are investing more than £700 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping this year.

Chapter 17 of the Homelessness Code of Guidance, which concerns the suitability of accommodation is clear that all temporary accommodation must be suitable in relation to the applicant and to all members of their household who normally reside with them, or who might reasonably be expected to reside with them.

Consideration of whether accommodation is suitable will require an assessment of all aspects of the accommodation in the light of the relevant needs, requirements and circumstances of the homeless person and their household.

Housing authorities have a continuing obligation to keep the suitability of accommodation under review, and to respond to any relevant change in circumstances which may affect suitability.

Local authorities must ensure there is a right of appeal and applicants may ask for a review on request of the housing authority’s decision that the accommodation offered to them is suitable.

Relevant homelessness data can be found here, the most recent being published as recently as 29 January: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics.

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