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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps is he taking to ensure cold-weather emergency accommodation is available for every rough sleeper.

It is unacceptable that in modern Britain anyone should be forced to sleep rough and this government is committed to ensuring that, regardless of weather, everyone has a roof over their head.

We recognise that the challenges faced by those who sleep rough are especially acute during severe weather, and actively work alongside Local Authorities to mitigate this.

In periods of severe weather Severe Weather Emergency Provision (SWEP) is triggered, and local authorities work closely with charities to provide basic emergency accommodation during this time to minimise the risk of harm to individuals who are sleeping rough when the temperature drops.

Many local authorities will already make sure warm places to stay are available throughout the winter, not just during times when SWEP is in force.

In addition on 31 October we launched the Cold Weather Fund of up to £5 million available to all local authorities to provide a robust, local response to support rough sleepers off the streets throughout the winter period. The deadline for Local Authorities to submit their claim forms for this was 5 April 2019.

The fund was used to enhance accommodation provision such as access to the private rented sector, provide space in existing supporting housing projects, and fund interventions such as B&Bs and No Second Night Out services. These aim to quickly reduce the number of people sleeping rough in the cold period, while the longer-term Rough Sleeping Strategy interventions come into effect. This Government is committed to reducing homelessness and rough sleeping. No one should ever have to sleep rough.

That is why last summer we published the cross-government Rough Sleeping Strategy which sets out an ambitious £100 million package to help people who sleep rough now, but also puts in place the structures that will end rough sleeping once and for all. Already, this has provided over 2,600 new bed spaces and 750 staff. In all, the Government has now committed over £1.2 billion to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over the spending review period.