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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what plans he has to help tackle youth homelessness.

In September 2022, the Government published 'Ending Rough Sleeping for Good'. The strategy recognises that young people face particular challenges. That is why we will be encouraging priority local authorities to bid for youth-specific supported accommodation as a part of our new Single Homelessness Accommodation Project (SHAP).

Additionally, £2.4 million of the Rough Sleeping Initiative 2022-25 is going towards funding youth services in local areas. A £3.2 million investment is being provided in 2022/23 for targeted support, through specialist advisors, to young people leaving care most at risk of homelessness and rough sleeping. This will be expanding from 56 to 69 local authorities.

We have also put in place bespoke support for local authorities through our Homelessness Advice and Support Team, which includes dedicated youth homelessness advisor roles that have a commitment to work with local authorities to proactively promote positive joint working across housing authorities and children's services, offering training, advice and support to all local authorities.