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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment the Government has made of the cost of specialist non-housing support needed by the 15,000 rough sleepers accommodated by the Everybody In initiative in order to prevent those people returning to rough sleeping.

We have provided £3.2 billion to councils across England to manage the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which can be used to provide support to vulnerable people such as rough sleepers. This is in addition to £3.2 million in targeted funding for councils to support vulnerable rough sleepers.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing local need and commissioning specialist services, such as alcohol and drug services. This includes providing services for people who experience homelessness and rough sleeping and those who have been supported into emergency accommodation sites.

Most local authorities are using their existing locally commissioned drug and alcohol treatment services to provide support in accommodation sites. This support includes harm reduction, prescribing services and managing related health issues like alcohol withdrawal. They are also drawing on wider NHS services to provide mental and physical health support in accommodation sites. Local authorities hold the most up to date information regarding the costs of non-housing support for people they are currently assisting

We are continuing to work closely with local authorities?to understand the work they are doing to help the most vulnerable in our society and, as we have been clear, are committed to working to ensure that the needs of these individuals are met and that as few people as possible return to the streets.