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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to his Department's press release, £105 million to keep rough sleepers safe and off the streets during coronavirus pandemic, published on 24 June 2020, whether that additional funding can be used to support people with no recourse to public funds.

At the beginning of the crisis, our priority was to urgently bring vulnerable people inside so they could self-isolate and stop the virus spreading. We backed this with £3.2 million in emergency funding for local authorities to support vulnerable rough sleepers, and a further £3.2 billion to help councils to manage the impacts of COVID-19, including supporting homeless people. The £3.2 billion funding is not ringfenced and can be used across any local services facing pressures, including rough sleeping.

On 24?June?we announced that we are?providing local authorities with?a further?£105 million?to enable them?to?best?support the c15,000 people placed into emergency accommodation during the COVID-19 pandemic.?This funding is on top of the £433 million which we announced on 24 May to provide thousands of additional?long-term?homes for vulnerable rough sleepers.?This commitment?will help?to ensure that as few of these people as possible return to the streets.?The funding will cover a range of interventions, from moves into the?private?rented?sector, to?extending?or procuring interim accommodation?such as hotels or student accommodation?and supporting individuals to reconnect with friends or family. This could also include provision for people eligible through the suspension of the derogation or support to return home.

It is at the discretion of local authorities to decide who they can support, whether this is British citizens or foreign nationals. The rules relating to eligibility, including those for individuals with no resource to public funds, have not changed. Local authorities must use their judgement in assessing what support they may lawfully give to each person on an individual basis, considering that person’s specific circumstances and support needs. Local authorities already regularly make such judgements on accommodating individuals who might otherwise be ineligible, during extreme weather for example, where there is a risk to life. The Government recognises that these are unprecedented times and expects local authorities to support people who are sleeping rough, and also to minimise unnecessary risks to public health, acting within the law.