Prisoners' Release: Temporary Accommodation

(asked on 24th March 2023) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide accommodation for prisoners for the first week and weekend after release in instances where the prisoner has lost their home after being remanded in custody for sentence.


Answered by
Lord Bellamy Portrait
Lord Bellamy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
This question was answered on 6th April 2023

HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has a range of interventions available to support those on remand when they are released to ensure that they are not homeless.

All resettlement prisons have an embedded pre-release resettlement function. These pre-release teams identify and address immediate resettlement needs when the individual arrives. This accommodation support, delivered through Commissioned Rehabilitative Services contracts, includes support and guidance to ensure continuation of an existing tenancy, applications for housing benefit, assistance to access rent deposit and rent advance schemes and compliance with any tenancy obligations to avoid or manage accommodation arrears. We are currently working on extending all Commissioned Rehabilitative Services contracts for accommodation to unsentenced people in prison.

Additionally, in accordance with relevant housing legislation in both England and in Wales, HMPPS has a duty to refer anyone at risk of becoming homeless on release from prison to a local authority for housing assistance.

In relation to prisoners who have been on remand, subsequently convicted and released as time served they can be referred to our Community Accommodation Service Tier 3 (CAS-3), which provides up to 12 weeks of temporary housing, providing that they are subject to probation supervision.

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