Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure adequate funding is available to local authorities to support local residents through the Housing Support Fund in the event that demand exceeds the allocation of funding.

The Household Support Fund extension is part of £22 billion we are providing in 2022-23 to help ease cost of living pressures. The additional £500 million we are providing from April to help households with the cost of essentials brings the total funding for this support to £1 billion. In England, £421 million will be provided to extend the existing Household Support Fund from 1 April to 30 September inclusive and will continue to help people who are struggling to afford energy and water bills, food, and other essentials.