Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support people who do not qualify for council funding and are (a) homeless and (b) at risk of homelessness.

Homelessness legislation includes eligibility criteria, consideration of vulnerability and whether someone is intentionally homeless to ensure that resources, including temporary accommodation and access to settled housing, are prioritised effectively and accommodation is there for people who need it most. Some individuals will be ineligible for statutory homelessness assistance due to their immigration status and we recognise that supporting this cohort can present unique challenges. The rules regarding eligibility relating to immigration status, including for those with restricted eligibility, have not changed.

The expectation is that migrants coming into the UK should be able to maintain and accommodate themselves without recourse to public funds. This reflects the need to maintain the confidence of the general public that immigration brings benefits to our country, rather than costs to the public purse.

However, this does not mean support cannot be offered to this group. Any funding we have provided can be used to help anyone, as long as local areas are acting within the law in doing so.

The Home Office Homelessness Escalation Service is a dedicated service to help local authorities and service providers to swiftly clarify and resolve the immigration status of individuals if they are rough sleeping or at risk of doing so.