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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for local authorities to provide emergency accommodation for people with nowhere safe to stay in the next twelve months.

The Government is committed to supporting those who are most vulnerable both during this pandemic and beyond. As the pandemic progressed, we provided councils across England with £3.2 billion to manage the impacts of Covid-19,?including supporting homeless?people.

In addition, we are providing £606 million in 20/21 to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. This marks a £238 million increase in funding from the previous year.

On 24 May, the?Secretary of State?announced?plans for thousands of long-term, safe homes?to support many of the?vulnerable rough sleepers who have been supported during the Covid-19 pandemic. This?unprecedented?commitment?– the biggest of its kind since the Government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative?began?– will be backed by?£160?million?in 20/21 to inject 3,300 new units of accommodation over the next 12 months?, part of?6,000 in total.

The plans are being coordinated by?the Rough Sleeping Taskforce, led by Dame Louise Casey.?This work will?bring together local councils, charities, public sector partners and businesses, leading the next phase of the Government’s support for rough sleepers during the pandemic.