Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy on Ensuring the safety of disabled people, whether his Department's research to develop robust evidence to inform policy in England on the means of escape from buildings, care homes and specialised housing for disabled people has concluded; and when the findings of that review will be published.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
We commissioned research on the means of escape for disabled people. This project is reviewing the current approach to evacuating disabled persons across a range of building types, based on people’s lived experience, and using computer modelling to assess effectiveness of different evacuation options. It is looking at the benefit of assistance devices (e.g., evacuation chairs) and evacuation lifts in comparison to providing safe refuges for people to await assistance. This work is ongoing. We also recognise that specialised housing and care homes present a different challenge for fire safety, we are reviewing the effectiveness of current guidance through further ongoing research. The first reports are expected in early 2022, and further research may be required after that, to ensure we have robust evidence to inform policy options.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy, what guidance his Department has made available to local authorities in England on effective delivery of the £573 million Disabled Facilities Grant.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The Government is committed to delivering the actions in the National Disability Strategy, including the publication of new guidance for local authorities on the effective delivery of the Disabled Facilities Grant. The new guidance will be published as soon as possible in Spring 2022.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy, published July 2021, what plans his Department has to improve the framework to deliver accessible new homes.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
In June 2021 we commissioned research on the prevalence and demographics of impairment in England and ergonomic requirements and experiences of disabled people. Work is underway to develop robust data and evidence to help government consider what potential changes can be made to statutory guidance covering access to and use of buildings. The research work is due to complete in 2022.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy, what recent progress his Department has made in commissioning new research to develop the statutory guidance on meeting Building Regulations, covering access to and use of buildings.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
In June 2021 we commissioned research on the prevalence and demographics of impairment in England and ergonomic requirements and experiences of disabled people. Work is underway to develop robust data and evidence to help government consider what potential changes can be made to statutory guidance covering access to and use of buildings. The research work is due to complete in 2022.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
What estimate he has made of the number of buildings with dangerous cladding or other fire defects that (a) will miss the deadline and (b) are ineligible for the Building Safety Fund.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
All eligible applications currently made to the Building Safety Fund will proceed, and we are working with applicants to ensure work gets underway as soon as possible.
For any buildings that may have missed the original registration deadline we will be reopening for registrations in the Autumn.
This will ensure we meet our commitment to fully fund the cost of replacing unsafe cladding for all leaseholders in residential buildings 18 metres and over in England.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2021 to Question 11595 on private rented housing: housing benefit, whether the Government plans to bring forward proposals to amend legislation to ensure that landlords of private housing assess tenants fairly.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
I refer the Hon Member to the answer to Question UIN 11595 on 15 June 2021. We have no current plans to bring forward additional legislation.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to take steps to prevent practices in the private rented sector which lead to the exclusion of applicants (a) reliant on housing benefit and (b) with low incomes.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
Blanket bans against tenants in receipt of benefits or on low incomes have no place in a fair and modern housing market. The Government has previously worked with the lettings industry to agree an approach to end the practice of excluding tenants in receipt of benefits.
We continue to encourage landlords to look at all tenants on an individual basis. Current legislation prohibits acts of discrimination against individuals on the basis of a number of protected characteristics.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Government plans to make additional funding available to local authorities to support residents made homeless as a result of rent arrears accrued during the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The Government has provided an unprecedented package of financial support which is available to support tenants with living costs. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and £20 per week uplift in Universal Credit are in place until the end of September helping renters to continue paying their rent. Local housing allowance rates have been maintained at their increased level in cash terms in 2021/22, meaning claimants renting in the private rented sector continue to benefit from the significant increase in the local housing allowance rates applied in April 2020. For those who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) are available. For 2021-22 the Government has made £140 million available in DHP funding, building on the £180 million provided last year.
Data from the English Housing Survey (EHS) Household Resilience Study November-December 2020 suggested that approximately 9% of private renters had any arrears, and two thirds of those are in less than 2 months of arrears. However, we will continue to closely monitor the ongoing impact of the pandemic on renters.
Where a person is at risk of losing their home, local authorities have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent homelessness. In 2021/22 we are providing local authorities with £310 million to discharge their duties under the Act, a £47 million increase on previous years’ funding. This can be used to offer financial support for people to find a new home, to work with landlords to prevent evictions, or to provide temporary accommodation to ensure families have a roof over their head.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in (a) Lewisham Deptford, (b) London and (c) the UK in rent arrears after the end of the ban on bailiff-forced evictions on 31 May 2021.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
We do not hold data on the number of people in rent arrears in Lewisham Deptford, London and the UK following 31 May 2021. Data from the English Housing Survey (EHS) Household Resilience Study suggested that approximately 9 per cent of private renters were in arrears in November - December 2020. Most renters in arrears, had arrears of less than 2 months.
The UK Government has provided an unprecedented package of financial support which is available to support tenants with living costs. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and £20 per week uplift in Universal Credit are in place until the end of September helping renters to continue paying their rent. Local housing allowance rates have been maintained at their increased level in cash terms in 2021/22, meaning claimants renting in the private rented sector continue to benefit from the significant increase in the local housing allowance rates applied in April 2020. For those who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) are available. For 2021-22 the Government has made £140 million available in DHP funding, building on the £180 million provided last year.