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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the paper Funding supported housing: policy statement and consultation announced on 31 October 2017, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to housing benefit for supported accommodation on refuge providers who rely on rents for income.

The short-term supported housing funding model will ensure that the housing costs for people living in refuges and other forms of short-term supported housing will be met by a grant fund administered by local authorities.

The same amount of funding as would have been available through Housing Benefit in 2020/21 will be made available as grant instead, and will directly fund bed spaces. The overall grant fund, including funding for refuges, will be ring-fenced indefinitely. Everyone who would be eligible under the current system to have their housing costs met by housing benefit will continue to have their housing costs met through the short-term funding model and no refuge should worry about closing or have any doubts over our commitment to ensure a sustainable funding model for them.

We are continuing to listen to the sector and are considering feedback through the recent consultation which closed on 23 January, and includes sector comments on the effect of the model on the number of and services women’s refuges in England. In addition, we are undertaking a thorough review of the commissioning and funding of all Domestic Abuse services in England and will be working closely with the domestic abuse sector, drawing on their knowledge and expertise, to make sure we get this right.