Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the causes of homelessness in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Through our National Plan to End Homelessness the Government is putting prevention at the heart of public services, alongside with actions to address the root causes of homelessness through building more homes, reforming renters’ rights, and tackling poverty.
Local councils are at the front line of the response to homelessness and must lead the way in putting prevention at the core of their services. The Government has increased funding for homelessness services this year to over £1 billion, including a £50 million top-up to the Homelessness Prevention Grant announced on 11 December 2025. You can find allocations here.
We are also investing £3.5 billion in homelessness and rough sleeping services over the next three years, through more flexible multi-year funding arrangements that enable councils to invest more in prevention.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of levels of homelessness relative to (a) levels of affordability of rented accommodation and (b) rates of local housing allowance.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
A lack of affordable housing is a key driver of homelessness. This Government plan to deliver a decade of renewal for social and affordable housing, including with £39 billion funding for the Social and Affordable Homes Programme.
We recognise some private renters need support with their rent. That is why we will work across government to keep Local Housing Allowance rates under review in order to deliver on the government's priorities, including maintaining the long-term fiscal sustainability of the welfare system.
Asked by: Olivia Blake (Labour - Sheffield Hallam)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that the upcoming Homelessness Strategy addresses homelessness among newly recognised refugees arising from the 28 day move-on period.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Through A National Plan to End Homelessness, the Cross-Government Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy, the Home Office has committed to strengthen data sharing processes to ensure councils receive information from asylum accommodation providers for 100% of newly granted refugees at risk of homelessness, within two days of an asylum discontinuation of support notification. This supports early intervention by enabling councils to commence homelessness assessments.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many people that are currently homeless in Poole constituency will be taken out of homelessness following the introduction of the homelessness strategy.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government publishes homelessness statistics on gov.uk here.
Our National Plan to End Homelessness will end the use of B&B accommodation for families except in emergencies, halve long-term rough sleeping and increase the proportion of people whose homelessness is prevented. As set out in the strategy, local authorities will be required to publish by Autumn next year, and regularly update, their action plan. This must include local targets to improve performance against each of the metrics relating to homelessness and rough sleeping in the Outcomes Framework for local government.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many homeless people there are in Poole constituency.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government publishes homelessness statistics on gov.uk here.
Our National Plan to End Homelessness will end the use of B&B accommodation for families except in emergencies, halve long-term rough sleeping and increase the proportion of people whose homelessness is prevented. As set out in the strategy, local authorities will be required to publish by Autumn next year, and regularly update, their action plan. This must include local targets to improve performance against each of the metrics relating to homelessness and rough sleeping in the Outcomes Framework for local government.
Asked by: Ian Roome (Liberal Democrat - North Devon)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many veterans are currently in temporary accommodation or rough sleeping; and what progress has been made against government targets to reduce this.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
There are a number of measures and metrics used to capture veteran homelessness and rough sleeping, including metrics on temporary accommodation. However, it is important to note that none of these will capture every single case and with the transient nature of homelessness, the overall picture of veteran homelessness and rough sleeping is not complete.
However, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government does capture and report the number of households presenting to Local Authorities who are either experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This data includes households rough sleeping and in temporary accommodation, as well as capturing other household status. The most recent annual data release is for 2024-25 and shows that there were 2,180 veteran households at risk of or experiencing homelessness in England. This is 0.7% of all households in England and is steady with the previous year.
This Government is clear that one veteran rough sleeping is one too many. That is why we have committed an additional £12 million to ensure the continuation of the Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme. Op FORTITUDE will also be extended, putting the service that has already supported over 1,000 veterans on a sustainable footing. These programmes will deliver three years of support services across the UK for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
This is in addition to the Government’s National Plan to End Homelessness. The Ministry of Defence contributed to this strategy including committing to ensuring that all councils are aware of service provision in their area to support veterans at risk of homelessness.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that veterans receive adequate support after leaving the armed forces in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
This year we have launched a new Veterans Strategy which recognises veterans as a national asset, the £50-million VALOUR programme making it easier for veterans to access the care and support they deserve, and confirmed £12 million for the continuation of the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme. In addition, dedicated supported is available to veterans through Ops FORTITUDE, COURAGE, RESTORE, ASCEND and NOVA and through programmes such as the Career Transition Partnership.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of emergency accommodation capacity in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency during winter 2025-2026.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is investing more than £1 billion in homelessness services in 2025/26. This includes £255.5 million for the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant so that local authorities can support people sleeping rough in their areas, including a £69.9 million top up announced in October to tackle additional pressures. Allocations are published on GOV.UK here.
It is for each local authority to determine what service provision is appropriate for the needs of their areas.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the support available to people sleeping rough in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency during winter 2025-26.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is investing more than £1 billion in homelessness services in 2025/26. This includes £255.5 million for the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant so that local authorities can support people sleeping rough in their areas, including a £69.9 million top up announced in October to tackle additional pressures. Allocations are published on GOV.UK here.
It is for each local authority to determine what service provision is appropriate for the needs of their areas.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what funding has been allocated to homelessness services in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency for winter 2025-26.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is investing more than £1 billion in homelessness services in 2025/26. This includes £255.5 million for the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant so that local authorities can support people sleeping rough in their areas, including a £69.9 million top up announced in October to tackle additional pressures. Allocations are published on GOV.UK here.
It is for each local authority to determine what service provision is appropriate for the needs of their areas.