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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2024 to Question 10209 on Refugees: Homelessness, what steps he is taking to monitor the effectiveness of the support his Department provides to local authorities to reduce the risk of homelessness for new refugees.

We have welcomed nearly 200,000 Ukrainians to the UK since the war began and provided £1.1 billion to councils through a tariff for each arrival in their area to support guests and sponsors. Most Ukrainians have been able to sustain housing without the need for homelessness support. This year councils across the UK have been allocated £150 million to help prevent homelessness for Ukrainian households and others at risk of homelessness, and there will be an additional £120 million available next year.

The vast majority of Afghans who were in bridging hotels have been supported to move into settled accommodation. We have provided a £35 million package for local authorities to increase the support available to Afghans and help overcome the specific barriers they face in accessing the housing system, including £7,100 per person in flexible housing fund to help households into settled accommodation. There is also £9,150 per household available to local authorities for homelessness costs, and up to 6 months wraparound funding of £28 per person per day for those in temporary accommodation.

We will continue to support the Afghan cohort into settled housing, including through the £450 million third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund which follows the first two rounds of £750 million to help house Ukrainian and Afghan families in England. The Department continues to monitor homelessness in these groups, working closely to support local authorities so they are able to carry out their duties.