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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of 16 and 17-year-olds who presented as homeless in 2017-18 (a) did not receive a formal assessment under the Housing Act 1996 or the Children Act 1989 and (b) received a joint assessment by children's services and housing services.

The Department currently holds limited data on 16 and 17 year olds receiving support under housing legislation, including the numbers accepted for assistance and types of temporary accommodation provided to them. On the 31 December 2017, 20 households headed by 16-17 year olds were living in the accommodation listed in paragraph 5.10, that is (unsuitable) bed and breakfast or nightly paid accommodation with shared facilities. A further 40 households in hostel-type accommodation were reported by local authorities, but it is not possible to determine from the data whether or not these were or were not suitable placements as recommended in the guidance.

The Department is overhauling statutory homelessness data collection alongside the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act. This will give us case-level data and better insights into the causes of homelessness and the support homeless applicants need and receive, including accommodation provided under homelessness legislation. The new statutory homelessness data collection arrangements, known as H-CLIC, were implemented by local authorities in England from April 2018. We expect to see improved data relating to youth homelessness as a result of this change.

Additionally, many 16 and 17 year olds who are homeless or require accommodation will be provided with accommodation and support under the Children’s Act 1989.