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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he is putting in place to ensure that there is no increase in homelessness as a result of the reintroduction of late rent evictions.

The Government has taken unprecedented action to support renters during the pandemic. On 5 June we announced that the suspension of evictions from social or private rented accommodation had been extended by a further two months. This means that no action to evict a tenant will proceed before 24 August 2020.

We are supporting those at risk of homelessness, with an injection of over £6.5 billion into the welfare system. This includes increasing the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants so that they are set at the 30th percentile of market rents.

The Homelessness Reduction Act came into force in April 2018 and means more people are entitled to support than ever before. Local authorities and other public bodies must now work together to actively relieve people of their homelessness or prevent homelessness for people at risk, irrespective of whether they are a family or single person, the reason they are at risk, or if they have a local connection to the area. Acting earlier and for a broader range of people means more people will get the help they need before they face a homelessness crisis.