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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of (a) support for homeless people and (b) the criteria by which those at risk of homelessness are deemed vulnerable.

Homelessness levels are far too high and this Government is taking action to deliver long term solutions. As announced at the Budget, funding for homelessness services is increasing next year by £233 million compared to this year (2024/25), bringing total spend to nearly £1 billion in 25/26.

We are taking action to tackle the root causes of homelessness, including:

• Delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and building 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament.
• Abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, preventing private renters being exploited and discriminated against, and empowering people to challenge unreasonable rent increases.

Regarding the criteria by which those at risk of homelessness are deemed vulnerable, 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 a housing authority is unable to prevent an applicant from becoming homeless, or to help them to secure accommodation within the ‘relief’ stage, they are required to reach a decision as to whether the applicant has a priority need for accommodation. Priority need primarily includes pregnant women or those with dependent children, people who are vulnerable due to old age, mental illness, physical disability or other special needs, people who are at risk of harm, such as those feeling domestic violence or other threats to their safety, people who are homeless due to an emergency, such as fire or flood and people who have been in care or under supervision (such as leaving the care of local authorities, prison, or other institutions).