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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking help support local authorities to access suitable accommodation for homeless people to meet their (a) interim duty to accommodate and (b) main housing duty.

Homelessness levels are far too high. This Government recognises the devastating impact this can have on those affected, especially children.

We must address this and deliver long term solutions. The Government is looking at these issues carefully and will develop a new cross government strategy, working with mayors and councils across the country to get us back on track to ending homelessness once and for all. This includes a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, bringing together ministers from across government.

The Homelessness Reduction Act places duties on local housing authorities to take reasonable steps to try to prevent and relieve a person’s homelessness. If homelessness cannot be prevented or relieved, the local authority may owe the applicant a duty to provide them with temporary accommodation until settled accommodation is secured.

All temporary accommodation must be safe and suitable. The Homelessness Code of Guidance is clear that temporary accommodation should not be considered suitable for a family with children under two if there is not enough space for a cot and that housing authorities should support families to secure a cot where needed. In addition, the legislation and guidance set out that in the first instance, local authorities should try to place individuals within their own area, and when this is not possible, they should place the household as near as possible to the original local authority.

On 11 November 2024 the Deputy Prime Minister wrote to all local authority Chief Executives in England about out-of-area accommodation placements. This letter referred to section 208 of the Housing Act 1996 and reminded local authorities that they are required by law to notify the receiving local authority of any out-of-area placement and that this should be happening in every case. The placing authority should also seek to retain established links with schools, doctors, social workers and other key services and support wherever possible.

We must build more homes in the areas where they are needed so we can reduce the need for out of area placements, which is why we will deliver the biggest increase to social and affordable housing in a generation.

Local authorities are required to report homelessness data each quarter, including information on children in TA and out-of-area placements. The most recent figures for Q2 2024 can be accessed below using tab TA1:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statutory-homelessness-in-england-april-to-june-2024/statutory-homelessness-in-england-april-to-june-2024.