Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will extend the exemption for the local connection test to survivors of modern slavery.

The government is committed to ensuring that, where appropriate, barriers preventing vulnerable groups in need from accessing social housing are removed.

We are working with stakeholders to explore the detail of the proposed exemptions from local connection requirements further and consider what more needs to be done to support vulnerable cohorts, including victims of modern slavery.

There are alternative routes for vulnerable cohorts to access social housing. Guidance asks local authorities to make exemptions for applications with special circumstances, such as those who need to move for medical reasons or who are at risk of harm and to escape violence.