Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether additional expenditure incurred by local authorities in dealing with the covid-19 outbreak is eligible expenditure under the Bellwin scheme.

The Bellwin Scheme has not been activated in respect of the Covid-19 outbreak but in the Budget, the Chancellor set out a £12 billion package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support public services, individuals and businesses through the economic disruption caused by Covid-19.

The Government recognises that local authorities will need extra funding - particularly, but not just - for social care and we are urgently working out a funding package.