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

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on measures to reduce homelessness.

The Department issues statutory guidance which local authorities must, by law, have regard to when carrying out their statutory duties as set out in the Housing Act 1996. This guidance helps authorities understand how best they can protect and support homeless households.

We fund the National Practitioner Support Service to help local authorities continuously improve their frontline housing services so to better support and protect homeless households. We have also invested over £10 million in the National Homelessness Advice Service that ensure that frontline staff receive the support they need to provide a professional service, as quickly and efficiently as possible.

This Government has invested over £500 million since 2010 to tackle all forms of homelessness and rough sleeping. The homelessness legislation in England provides one of the strongest safety nets in the world for families with children and vulnerable people who become homeless through no fault of their own.