Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of (a) housing benefit levels and (b) the benefit cap on (i) new starts of social housing and (ii) his Department's homelessness strategy.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Government spends around £30 billion a year on housing support through Housing Benefit and Universal Credit. In April 2020, we boosted investment in the Local Housing Allowance by nearly £1 billion and have maintained LHA rates at this same cash level so that everyone who benefitted from this increase will continue to do so.
The benefit cap provides a strong work incentive and fairness for hard-working taxpaying households and encourages people to move into work, where possible. The proportion of households capped remains low in comparison to the overall working age benefit with a caseload of 2.7%. Further data on the benefit cap can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/benefit-cap-statistics#latest-release
Our £11.5 billion Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) will provide up to 180,000 new homes across the country, should economic conditions allow. Since 2010, we have delivered over 574,100 new affordable homes, including over 403,400 affordable homes for rent, of which over 154,600 are homes for social rent.
We have made excellent progress on our manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping, with the number of people sleeping rough at an 8-year low.
We will deliver a bold, new Rough Sleeping strategy which will set out how we will end rough sleeping, building on recent success ensuring rough sleeping is prevented in the first instance and is effectively responded to in the rare cases where it does occur.
Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to prohibit Section 21 evictions; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The Government remains committed to delivering a better deal for renters. We will publish a White Paper this Spring that will consult on introducing a legally binding Decent Homes Standard, explore a National Landlord Register and bring forward other measures to reset the relationship between landlords and tenants.
The White Paper will provide further detail on repealing Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, improving security for tenants by putting an end to evictions where the landlord does not have to provide a reason. We are undertaking extensive engagement with stakeholders to inform our plans ahead of publication and will bring forward legislation in due course.
Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent East)
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 the Answer of 9 March 2021 to Question 163164, what steps his Department plans to take to prevent applications being granted for coal mines which would affect goals of achieving net zero carbon by 2050.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government is committed to clean growth and we are taking action to reduce our reliance on coal. We have set out our aim to end electricity generation from unabated coal by 2025 and we are also taking action to reduce coal use in industry and heating.
In terms of planning policy, the National Planning Policy Framework is already clear that planning permission should not be granted for the extraction of coal unless the proposal is environmentally acceptable or the national, local or community benefits outweigh its likely effects. The National Planning Policy Framework is capable of being a material consideration in the determination of all applications for coal extraction in England. Given the Secretary of State's role in the planning system, it would not be appropriate to comment on the merits or relevant considerations of current or future applications for coal extraction.
Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that planning applications granted by local authorities are not having a detrimental effect on efforts to achieve net zero carbon by 2050.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government’s expectations for how planning can contribute to a low carbon future in England. We intend to go further, which is why the Planning for the Future White Paper proposed reform of the Framework so that the planning system can most effectively play a role in mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change at a local and national level. The reforms to the planning system will help local authorities to improve the delivery and quality of homes and neighbourhoods, set within the drive towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050. We are currently collating, reviewing and analysing the responses to the consultation.
From 2025, the Future Homes Standard will ensure that new homes produce at least 75% lower CO2 emissions compared to current standards. These homes will be zero-carbon ready with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency. We will also not amend the Planning and Energy Act, allowing local authorities to continue to set energy efficiency standards that go beyond the Building Regulations.
All levels of Government have a role to play in meeting our net zero goal. Local authorities are rising to the challenge and 98% of local authorities are already voluntarily taking action to reduce emissions from their areas, or from their own estate
Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what support his Department plans to provide to LGBTQ+ youth with no recourse to public funds who are at risk of homelessness during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Luke Hall
The Government is aware of concerns about those with no recourse to public funds experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 crisis.
We are ensuring local authorities are supported, with £3.2 million in targeted funding to help support individuals who are sleeping rough off the streets, and an additional £3.7 billion provided to local authorities as part of the wider Government response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funding has been provided to help local authorities to reduce risks to public health and to support individuals on the basis of need. This may include people identifying as LGBTQ+.
The legal position on those with no recourse to public funds has not been amended.
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.
We also recognise that?LGBTQ+?homelessness is an important issue, particularly among young people, and that?LGBTQ+?people who find themselves homeless may have a different experience of homelessness. This Department has provided funds to both charities and local authorities which will enable to them to support their communities, including LGBTQ+ people, whether they are at risk of, or are experiencing, homelessness or rough sleeping.
In particular, my Department has provided £6 million of emergency funding to frontline homelessness charitable organisations who were directly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Following a successful bidding process, over 130 charities across England are set to benefit from the fund. Successful bids included Stonewall Housing which provides housing advice and support for LGBTQ+ people at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness or rough sleeping.
Asked by: Dawn Butler (Labour - Brent East)
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 will take to prevent rough sleeping amongst LGBTQ+ youth after the ban on tenant evictions is lifted on 23 August 2020.
Answered by Luke Hall
Working across the public sector in order to continue tackling homelessness and rough sleeping throughout the crisis, this Government has provided funding to?assist local authorities to?provide accommodation and support to?vulnerable?people who are at risk of, or who have been diagnosed with, coronavirus.
At the beginning of the pandemic, our priority was to 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 £3.7 billion to help councils to manage the impacts of COVID-19, including supporting homeless people. This?may include?people identifying as LGBTQ+,?as well as?those who identify as having?other?protected characteristics.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, charities across the country, including LGBTQ+ charities, were able to bid for funding through the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Fund, which provided £6 million of emergency funding as part of a £750 million package of government support for UK charities who may have been impacted by the pandemic. Following a successful bidding process, over?130 charities?across England?benefitted?from?the £6 million?emergency?fund.
We have also put in place bespoke support for local authorities through our Homelessness Advice and Support Team, which includes dedicated youth homelessness advisor roles that have a commitment to work with local authorities to proactively promote positive joint working across housing authorities and children’s services, offering training, advice and support to all local authorities.
The Government has taken unprecedented action to support renters during the pandemic to ensure no one can be forced from their home.?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. The emergency measures in the Coronavirus Act, which require landlords to give at least three months' notice to evict tenants, are unaffected by this and remain in place until 30 September 2020.? We will also continue work with the judiciary, legal representatives and the advice sector on arrangements, including new rules, to ensure that when the moratorium on?evictions ends, the courts are better able to address the need for appropriate protection of all parties, including those shielding from coronavirus.