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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what provision he is making for local authorities to continue the Everyone In campaign to house and support people who were street homeless.

Almost 15,000 vulnerable people, including those who were street homeless, have been housed in emergency accommodation, including hotels, since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown period, according to returns from local authorities to MHCLG.

£3.2 billion has been provided to support councils to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, including supporting homeless people. This is in addition to £3.2 million in targeted funding for councils to support vulnerable rough sleepers.

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. Here, individuals taken off the streets during the pandemic can get the support they need to rebuild their lives.

This?unprecedented?commitment?– the biggest of its kind since the Government’s Rough Sleeping Initiative?began?– will be backed by?£160?million?in 2020/21 to inject 3,300 new units of accommodation over the next 12 months, part of?6,000 in total.

This means in 2020/21 we are providing £606 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. This marks a £238 million increase in funding from the previous year and further demonstrates our commitment to assist the most vulnerable in society.