Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support those with mental health problems to navigate the social housing system.
Local authorities are responsible for drawing up and operating their allocation scheme for social housing within the framework of legislation which ensures that they must give 'reasonable preference' to specific groups including people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability. This will include people with mental health problems.
Statutory guidance in 2012 advises local authorities to consider giving additional preference to those who those who need to move urgently because of a sudden disability.
The Social Housing White Paper sets out clear expectations that all social housing tenants, especially those with mental health problems, receive a professional service from competent and empathetic landlord staff. The White Paper commits to a review of professionalisation in the social housing sector including how well housing staff are equipped to support those with mental health needs and will encourage landlords to adopt best practice in this area.