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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the impact of the (a) Rough Sleepers Accommodation Programme, (b) Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme and (c) the Local Authority Housing Fund on trends in the level of (i) homelessness and (ii) local housing demand in the last 12 months; and if he will take steps to establish a new funding package to enable local authorities to utilise (A) empty homes and (B) other property acquisitions to increase the supply of affordable housing.

As of April 2023, our Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme delivered 4,920 homes for rough sleepers across England.

The £200 million Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme was announced in September 2022 aiming to deliver up to 2,400 homes in the highest areas of need for adults experiencing severe multiple disadvantage and specialist accommodation for young people who are, or at risk of, rough sleeping. This is in addition to the £750 million Local Authority Housing Fund.

Local authorities already have many powers and strong incentives to tackle empty homes. Our Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill will give councils further powers.

On the question regarding Local Housing Allowance rates, I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 8 March 2023, in response to Question UIN 155208.