Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will take steps to include provisions in forthcoming national development management policies to help increase the scaling of stepping stone housing models across local authority areas.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation.
The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies. The Government intends to consult on a revised National Planning Policy Framework this year.
Government planning guidance states that once a planning application is validated, the local planning authority should determine it promptly and, in any case, within the statutory time limit unless a longer period is agreed in writing with the applicant. If a valid application is not determined within the agreed timeframe, the applicant may appeal to the Secretary of State for non-determination.
Setting space standards for homes helps to maintain design quality, promote health and wellbeing, and increase comfort for occupants and other users. Each application is judged on its own individual merit and the weight given to these considerations is a matter for the local planning authority as the usual decision taker in the first instance.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he will issue guidance to local authorities on flexibility in the Nationally Described Space Standards when delivering stepping stone accommodation for young people at risk of homelessness.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation.
The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies. The Government intends to consult on a revised National Planning Policy Framework this year.
Government planning guidance states that once a planning application is validated, the local planning authority should determine it promptly and, in any case, within the statutory time limit unless a longer period is agreed in writing with the applicant. If a valid application is not determined within the agreed timeframe, the applicant may appeal to the Secretary of State for non-determination.
Setting space standards for homes helps to maintain design quality, promote health and wellbeing, and increase comfort for occupants and other users. Each application is judged on its own individual merit and the weight given to these considerations is a matter for the local planning authority as the usual decision taker in the first instance.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of whether the planning system enables local authorities to approve applications for homes in a timely manner for young people at risk of homelessness.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. My Department continues to engage with stakeholders in the homelessness sector to support the development of schemes and policies to tackle homelessness, including stepping stone accommodation.
The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that it is for local authorities to assess the size, types and tenure of housing needed for different groups, including those who require affordable housing, and reflect this in their planning policies. The Government intends to consult on a revised National Planning Policy Framework this year.
Government planning guidance states that once a planning application is validated, the local planning authority should determine it promptly and, in any case, within the statutory time limit unless a longer period is agreed in writing with the applicant. If a valid application is not determined within the agreed timeframe, the applicant may appeal to the Secretary of State for non-determination.
Setting space standards for homes helps to maintain design quality, promote health and wellbeing, and increase comfort for occupants and other users. Each application is judged on its own individual merit and the weight given to these considerations is a matter for the local planning authority as the usual decision taker in the first instance.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 4 of the Autumn Budget 2025, HC1492, 26 November 2025, if he will publish the evidential basis for the claim that there would be a £250 million saving from reducing the number of councillors by 5000.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to cutting the cost of politics.
The £250 million figure was calculated based on estimated savings from the potential reduction in local councillors through Local Government Reorganisation and from the abolition of Police and Crime Commissioners
For councillors, this is based on £120 million of savings through a potential reduction in the number of councillors by 5,000. The Government estimated savings on councillor expenditure of £40 million per year from 2028/2029 when new unitarity councils are due to be established, through to the end of the fiscal forecast period in 2030/31.
Our estimates are based on the range of councillors and number of new authorities post-reorganisation based on the proposals and initial plans under discussion in local areas, the announced approach for reorganisation in Surrey, as well as the Local Government Boundary Commission 2024/25 data on councillor numbers and sampling councillor expenditure from current upper and lower tier authorities. Our estimates are rounded mid-points as the exact figures will naturally depend on decisions on which, if any, proposals for reorganisation are implemented.
The remaining £130 million is based on estimated net savings from the abolition of Police and Crime Commissioners over 5 years.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance exists on balancing data protection with safeguarding when families seek to support vulnerable adults in accessing local authority services including housing registers; and what discretion local authorities have to share information with family members in such circumstances.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authorities are responsible for assessing individuals’ care and support needs and, where eligible, for meeting those needs, such as under the Care Act 2014.
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 provides mechanisms by which others can support, and if appropriate make decisions for, a person who lacks mental capacity. A person who is aged 18 or over and who has capacity (a donor) can make a lasting power of attorney (LPA) appointing one or more trusted third parties (often family members or friends) to act as attorney. An attorney with powers under an LPA can act or make decisions for the donor, including accessing services on their behalf. If no LPA has been made and a person lacks capacity, the Court of Protection can appoint a deputy to manage the person’s affairs.
Statutory guidance on social housing allocations sets out how local housing authorities should approach information sharing in relation to the management of their allocation scheme including how data should be processed in line with UK data protection laws.
If a person is likely to have difficulty making an application for an allocation of social housing without assistance, local housing authorities must ensure that any necessary assistance is available free of charge.
The cross-government Changing Futures programme is working with 15 local partnerships to test new approaches to improve access to support for adults experiencing multiple disadvantage – including combinations of homelessness, substance misuse, mental ill health, domestic abuse and contact with the criminal justice system. A further £56m has been announced in the homelessness strategy to build on learning from Changing Futures through a new multiple disadvantage programme.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help ensure vulnerable adults can access essential services when they cannot navigate processes independently and family members lack formal powers of attorney.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authorities are responsible for assessing individuals’ care and support needs and, where eligible, for meeting those needs, such as under the Care Act 2014.
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 provides mechanisms by which others can support, and if appropriate make decisions for, a person who lacks mental capacity. A person who is aged 18 or over and who has capacity (a donor) can make a lasting power of attorney (LPA) appointing one or more trusted third parties (often family members or friends) to act as attorney. An attorney with powers under an LPA can act or make decisions for the donor, including accessing services on their behalf. If no LPA has been made and a person lacks capacity, the Court of Protection can appoint a deputy to manage the person’s affairs.
Statutory guidance on social housing allocations sets out how local housing authorities should approach information sharing in relation to the management of their allocation scheme including how data should be processed in line with UK data protection laws.
If a person is likely to have difficulty making an application for an allocation of social housing without assistance, local housing authorities must ensure that any necessary assistance is available free of charge.
The cross-government Changing Futures programme is working with 15 local partnerships to test new approaches to improve access to support for adults experiencing multiple disadvantage – including combinations of homelessness, substance misuse, mental ill health, domestic abuse and contact with the criminal justice system. A further £56m has been announced in the homelessness strategy to build on learning from Changing Futures through a new multiple disadvantage programme.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential safeguarding risk of unknown adults from the general public being on premises such as B&Bs and hotels along with families with children living in temporary accommodation.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is clear that B&B accommodation is never suitable for families with children and their use in emergencies should be rare and short. Our National Plan to End Homelessness sets a target to end the use of B&B accommodation for families with children by the end of this parliament.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the end of unlawful placements of families in Bed and Breakfast accommodation beyond six weeks.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Our National Plan to End Homelessness sets out how the Government will end the use of B&B accommodation for families except in emergencies by the end of this parliament. Our Plan sets out that every council will now be required to publish by Autumn next year, and regularly update, their action plan. These must include local targets that improve performance against each of the metrics relating to homelessness and rough sleeping in the Outcomes Framework for local government and set out council-level progress to end the unlawful use of B&B accommodation for families.
We are investing £950 million through the Local Authority Housing Fund to increase the supply of good quality temporary accommodation and to support resettlement. We will also deliver an Emergency Accommodation Reduction Programme with £30 million funding to tackle a wider range of poor practice – including B&B and unsuitable out-of-area placements.
Asked by: Anneliese Midgley (Labour - Knowsley)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will publish an analysis of how the updated deprivation indicators have altered funding allocations to individual councils under the new Local Government Finance Settlement for (a) Hampshire; (b) Hertfordshire; (c) Kent; (d) Surrey; (e) Essex; (f) Oxfordshire; (g) Buckinghamshire; (h) West Sussex; and (i) East Sussex.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government published the local government finance policy statement Local government finance policy statement 2026-27 to 2028-29 - GOV.UK and government response to the Fair Funding Review 2.0 on Thursday 20 November, which set out the government’s plans to introduce a fairer and evidence-led system, that will realign funding with need and deprivation.
The government has used the most robust and up to date evidence available. On this basis, we are now using data from the recently published 2025 Indices of Multiple Deprivation in our assessment of need.
We will publish provisional local authority allocations at the upcoming provisional multi-year Settlement in December. Proposals and allocations will be subject to consultation and the usual Parliamentary process.
The government will also include technical annexes for each ‘relative need formula’ – including those which use updated deprivation data – at the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government published the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (IoD25) on Thursday 30th October 2025. All resources can be accessed online here - English indices of deprivation 2025 - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support he is providing to local authorities to ensure they receive additional dedicated funding for homelessness services.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has increased funding for homelessness services this year to over £1 billion, including a £50 million top-up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant announced on 11 December 2025. You can find allocations here.
We are also investing £3.5 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years, through more flexible multi-year funding arrangements that enable councils to invest more in prevention.