Mentions:
1: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bshp - Bishops) Rural homelessness has increased by 25% since 2021-22. - Speech Link
2: Baroness Pinnock (LD - Life peer) A recent report by the CPRE highlighted a problem that has resulted in a 40% increase in homelessness - Speech Link
Written Evidence Oct. 14 2024
Inquiry: The Grey BeltFound: lasting difference through schemes that offer support with employment, health and wellbeing, finances, homelessness
Mentions:
1: Chris McDonald (Lab - Stockton North) served this country has access to safe and secure housing, so that they never face the injustice of homelessness - Speech Link
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will include health outcomes of those who experience homelessness in the NHS ten year plan.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS 10-Year Plan will consider the change needed to meet the three health mission goals: a fairer system where everyone lives well for longer; a National Health Service that is there when people need it; and fewer lives lost to the biggest killers. Officials within the Department will work closely with partners across the health service and NHS England as the plan is developed to consider better health outcomes for socially excluded groups, including those experiencing homelessness.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve coordination between health services and homelessness support organisations to tackle the healthcare needs of rough sleepers with (a) substance misuse and (b) mental health challenges.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is funding the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant (RSDATG) in 83 local authorities, of which Ealing is one. This programme funds targeted services to improve drug and alcohol treatment and support to people who sleep rough, or who are at risk of sleeping rough, and who have substance misuse needs. These services work closely with local homelessness organisations to ensure that coordinated support is provided, as well as providing support around people’s co-occurring substance misuse and mental health needs.
In addition to the RSDATG, the Department is working to expand mental health outreach services to improve co-ordinated care for homeless individuals with co-occurring mental health needs. Since 2019/20 there has been a £30 million investment to meet the health needs of people sleeping rough, allowing for the establishment of 37 sites with new mental health provision for rough sleepers. Beyond 2023/24, NHS England will provide recurrent annual funding of £9 million to support the specialist services that have been established as part of the NHS Long Term Plan programme.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve (a) access to and (b) engagement with health and social care services for those who experience homelessness.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department recognises the importance of reducing barriers to services for those experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping. This is why we supported the development and implementation of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) guidance, which provides recommendations on ways to improve access to, and engagement with, health and social care services for people experiencing homelessness. This guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng214
NHS England has also delivered the Inclusion Health Framework, which includes focus on the homeless population. Inclusion health is an umbrella term which includes homeless people and is used to describe people who are socially excluded, and who typically experience multiple interacting risk factors for poor health, such as stigma, discrimination, poverty, violence, and complex trauma.
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG214
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will discussions with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the (a) adequacy and (b) efficiency of consular support with processing (i) identity and (ii) travel documents for undocumented migrants who are homeless in the UK.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office provides consular assistance to British nationals abroad.
The Home Office provides the Homelessness Escalation Service for organisations supporting non-UK nationals experiencing homelessness. Local Authorities, homelessness charities and immigration legal advisors can use the service to obtain current status information and to escalate outstanding immigration applications highlighting an individual’s vulnerability connected to their experience of homelessness.
If an undocumented migrant does not have permission to remain in the UK, and wishes to return home voluntarily, they can get help to return to their home country from the Voluntary Returns Service.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help local authorities reduce rough sleeping.
Answered by Rushanara Ali - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Homelessness and rough sleeping levels in England are far too high. This has a devastating impact on those affected and harms our communities.
We must address this and deliver long-term solutions. The Government is taking action by setting up a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group which the Deputy Prime Minister will chair, bringing together ministers from across government to develop a long-term strategy to put us back on track to ending homelessness.
Whilst we develop our new strategy, the Rough Sleeping Initiative is providing £547 million over the period from April 2022 to March 2025 to 300 local authorities across England for local, tailored rough sleeping services.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking with (a) the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and (b) relevant organisations to increase the quality of data available to her Department on the number of (i) migrants with no recourse to public funds and (ii) other migrants who become homeless.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is committed to understanding how the NRPF policy impacts different migrant groups through engagement with public and private sector organisations on a regular basis, including at the quarterly NRPF Stakeholder Forum. The Government is looking at homelessness levels carefully and will develop a new cross-government strategy, working with mayors and councils across the country to bring an end to homelessness.
The Home Office is in the process of migrating its casework operations to the new ATLAS system. Once fully migrated, it will be possible to explore what further information on NRPF can be produced using the new system.
Asked by: Deirdre Costigan (Labour - Ealing Southall)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential impact of the no recourse to public funds condition on levels of homelessness; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the operation of the condition.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office is committed to understanding how the NRPF policy impacts different migrant groups through engagement with public and private sector organisations on a regular basis, including at the quarterly NRPF Stakeholder Forum. The Government is looking at homelessness levels carefully and will develop a new cross-government strategy, working with mayors and councils across the country to bring an end to homelessness.
The Home Office is in the process of migrating its casework operations to the new ATLAS system. Once fully migrated, it will be possible to explore what further information on NRPF can be produced using the new system.