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

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will issue guidance to local authorities to accommodate all homeless people this winter due to the continued risks from covid-19, including those not owed a homelessness duty, and match this with necessary resources; and if he will make a statement.

The Government is clear that no one should be without a roof over their head. We have made considerable progress in the last few years to reduce rough sleeping. Much of this work provided the capacity to deliver the pandemic response both locally and nationally.

We are supporting local authorities under the greatest pressure from rough sleepers under the £10 million Winter Pressures Fund which will bring rough sleepers across the country into safe and supported accommodation across winter. Brighton and Hove are eligible for this fund. We have made a further £3.8 million available to voluntary and community organisations to provide COVID-19 secure accommodation for those sleeping rough. This work bolsters our year-round investment through the £203 million Rough Sleeping Initiative. We continue to support local authorities to exhaust all options for rough sleepers, including those who are non-UK nationals.