Recommendations & Conclusions
26 items
1
Conclusion
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Acknowledged
We recognise the enormous success of the early stages of the Everyone In programme, made possible through cross-sector collaboration, substantial funding, and joint working towards a clear goal.
Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's conclusion by explicitly recognising the enormous success of the early stages of the Everyone In programme, made possible through cross-sector collaboration, substantial funding, and joint working towards a clear goal.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
2
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Rejected
We recommend the Government immediately issues clear guidance to local authorities stating that they can and should use their legal powers under the Local Government Act 1972 and NHS Act 2006 to find accommodation for those otherwise ineligible for support during a public health emergency.
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We recommend the Government immediately issues clear guidance to local authorities stating that they can and should use their legal powers under the Local Government Act 1972 and NHS Act 2006 to find accommodation for those otherwise ineligible for support during a public health emergency.
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Government response AI summary
The government rejects issuing specific guidance, stating it previously clarified that rules regarding No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) have not changed. Local authorities must continue to use their own judgement within legal powers, and it remains a matter for them to decide based on …
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
3
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Accepted
We recommend that the Government creates a cross-Government task force to resolve the conflict between the commitment to end rough sleeping and the current policy on the no recourse to public funds condition. This will require collecting data on the number of people affected and their specific circumstances.
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We recommend that the Government creates a cross-Government task force to resolve the conflict between the commitment to end rough sleeping and the current policy on the no recourse to public funds condition. This will require collecting data on the number of people affected and their specific circumstances.
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Government response AI summary
The government committed to working with partners across government, including the Home Office, to consider the role of immigration policy and practice in ending rough sleeping, building on existing initiatives, effectively forming a collaborative effort similar to the requested task force.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
4
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Not Addressed
We call on the Government to publish an exit plan for the private rented sector from national and local restrictions. Now the Government has published its roadmap for how to exit national restrictions, hopefully for the final time, it should set out how it intends for the sector to transition …
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We call on the Government to publish an exit plan for the private rented sector from national and local restrictions. Now the Government has published its roadmap for how to exit national restrictions, hopefully for the final time, it should set out how it intends for the sector to transition out of the pandemic.
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Government response AI summary
The government details its existing measures to protect renters and manage the exit from restrictions, including tapering measures and longer notice periods, but does not commit to publishing a specific exit plan for the private rented sector as requested.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
5
Conclusion
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Accepted
The Government will eventually have to come up with a policy response, because it cannot keep extending the evictions ban forever more.
Government response AI summary
The government outlines its existing policy response, detailing various measures taken to prevent evictions, restrictions, and the tapering down of protections, implying this addresses the eventual need for policy as the evictions ban cannot be extended indefinitely.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
6
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Accepted
We call on the Government to deliver a specific financial package—we prefer discretionary housing payments—to support tenants to repay rent arrears caused by covid-19, in consultation with the Local Government Association and appropriate bodies representing renters and landlords. We received an estimate that this package will likely cost between £200 …
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We call on the Government to deliver a specific financial package—we prefer discretionary housing payments—to support tenants to repay rent arrears caused by covid-19, in consultation with the Local Government Association and appropriate bodies representing renters and landlords. We received an estimate that this package will likely cost between £200 and £300 million. Given the number of potential evictions this would prevent, it would likely save the Exchequer a substantial amount in homelessness assistance. Protecting the homeless
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Government response AI summary
The government declined to deliver a new specific financial package for rent arrears, stating that its existing 'unprecedented package of financial support' (including increased LHA and Universal Credit) has already been effective in helping tenants.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
7
Conclusion
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Acknowledged
We recognise the enormous success of the early stages of the Everyone In programme, made possible through cross-sector collaboration, substantial funding and joint working towards a clear goal.
Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's conclusion by explicitly recognising the enormous success of the early stages of the Everyone In programme, attributed to cross-sector collaboration, substantial funding, and joint working towards a clear goal.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
8
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Rejected
We do not accept the Government’s reasoning for why it cannot produce figures on the number of people subject to the no recourse to public funds condition. The cost and administrative burden of doing so are not sufficient arguments, given how useful the data would be. Without transparent data, it …
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We do not accept the Government’s reasoning for why it cannot produce figures on the number of people subject to the no recourse to public funds condition. The cost and administrative burden of doing so are not sufficient arguments, given how useful the data would be. Without transparent data, it is impossible to know how many people are subject to the condition, what support they need and how much it would cost to fund policy proposals. We recommend that the Government collect and publish data on how many people have no recourse to public funds, including how many of these people are estimated to be homeless, and the reasons for NRPF being imposed. (Paragraph 19) 36 Protecting the homeless and the private rented sector: MHCLG’s response to Covid-19
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Government response AI summary
The government rejected the recommendation to collect and publish data on the number of people with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) and those estimated to be homeless, stating it is not possible to provide an accurate figure due to various complexities in data collection.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
9
Conclusion
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Not Addressed
There are substantial differences between a well-established severe weather emergency protocol, which provides short-term accommodation, often in night shelters or other communal spaces, and providing long-term accommodation in self-contained en-suite units with significant wraparound support. While there can be some similarities—especially the principle of ‘In for Good’—this is undermined by …
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There are substantial differences between a well-established severe weather emergency protocol, which provides short-term accommodation, often in night shelters or other communal spaces, and providing long-term accommodation in self-contained en-suite units with significant wraparound support. While there can be some similarities—especially the principle of ‘In for Good’—this is undermined by the different way the Government stipulates how funding can be used for Severe Weather Emergency Protocol versus Everyone In. The Everyone In funding since May 2020 cannot be spent on individuals with no recourse to public funds, in comparison to the Cold Weather Fund, which can be spent on everyone. Limiting spending in such a manner undermines a broad discretionary power and prevents local authorities from helping whomever they like, unless they spend out of their own pocket.
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Government response AI summary
The government outlines its ambition to end rough sleeping and details various support measures and funding allocations, including the Cold Weather Fund. However, it does not directly address the committee's specific criticism regarding the inability to use Everyone In funding for individuals with no recourse …
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
10
Conclusion
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Accepted
Everyone In by definition has finished. The Government believes Everyone In continues to exist, but by its own admission it is no longer helping everyone. The principle of Everyone In was that everyone, no matter what their normal eligibility for homelessness assistance, would be provided with accommodation to self-isolate by …
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Everyone In by definition has finished. The Government believes Everyone In continues to exist, but by its own admission it is no longer helping everyone. The principle of Everyone In was that everyone, no matter what their normal eligibility for homelessness assistance, would be provided with accommodation to self-isolate by their local authority. The Government made a clear decision to change this from May 2020 onwards. The Permanent Secretary admitted that what at the beginning was a very broad intervention is now focused on individual assessments. This backtracking by the Government led to councils deeming individuals ineligible for support when they in fact have legal powers to support such individuals under the Local Government Act 1972 and NHS Act 2006, as shown by the Ncube v Brighton and Hove City Council case. The Government is trapped between its exemplary humanitarian efforts to accommodate these individuals, and its insistence that its immigration policies have no flexibility, even during a pandemic. We do not think it is sufficient, as the Minister told us, to pass this responsibility on to charities and turn a blind eye to their predicament.
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Government response AI summary
The government responds by reiterating that rules for No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) have not changed, and local authorities must use their judgment within the law. It confirms that substantial homelessness funding can be used to support anyone, including those with NRPF, as long …
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
11
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Rejected
We call on the Government to return to the spirit of the early pandemic and re- commit to Everyone In. This requires providing legal clarity for local authorities. We recommend the Government immediately issues clear guidance to local authorities stating that they can and should use their legal powers under …
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We call on the Government to return to the spirit of the early pandemic and re- commit to Everyone In. This requires providing legal clarity for local authorities. We recommend the Government immediately issues clear guidance to local authorities stating that they can and should use their legal powers under the Local Government Act 1972 and NHS Act 2006 to find accommodation for those otherwise ineligible for support during a public health emergency. The guidance should clearly state that this applies whenever there is a lockdown or other strict national restrictions due to a public health emergency, whether for any current or further covid-19 measures, or any other future pandemic. The Government should ensure that this guidance includes clear instructions on which funding streams can be used to support people with NRPF who are homeless or at risk of homelessness during the crisis.
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Government response AI summary
The government rejected the call to re-commit to 'Everyone In' and issue new clear guidance to local authorities, stating its position remains unchanged and local authorities must continue to use their own judgment regarding support for those with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF). It …
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
12
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Deferred
No recourse to public funds has been an obstacle to reducing rough sleeping for a long time: the pandemic has just shone a spotlight on its impact. If the Government is serious about meeting its manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping by 2024, it must reform the no recourse to …
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No recourse to public funds has been an obstacle to reducing rough sleeping for a long time: the pandemic has just shone a spotlight on its impact. If the Government is serious about meeting its manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping by 2024, it must reform the no recourse to public funds policy. It is not sufficient for Ministers to say it is a long-standing immigration policy when it is in their power to change it, especially when it will prevent the Government from meeting its goal to end rough sleeping. Where two Government policies internally conflict, Ministers must work together to find a way forward. (Paragraph 45) Protecting the homeless and the private rented sector: MHCLG’s response to Covid-19 37
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Government response AI summary
The government states it will work with the Home Office to consider the role of immigration policy and practice as part of efforts to end rough sleeping, but does not commit to reforming the "no recourse to public funds" policy as recommended, instead deferring it …
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
13
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Acknowledged
We recommend that the Government creates a cross-Government task force to resolve the conflict between the commitment to end rough sleeping and the current policy on the no recourse to public funds condition. This will require collecting data on the number of people affected and their specific circumstances. It must …
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We recommend that the Government creates a cross-Government task force to resolve the conflict between the commitment to end rough sleeping and the current policy on the no recourse to public funds condition. This will require collecting data on the number of people affected and their specific circumstances. It must involve both Ministers and officials from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Home Office with the goal of presenting a policy proposal which will help individuals with no recourse to public funds to be supported off the streets and prevented from returning. We suggest that policy options to be explored could include: abeyance while individuals in hardship are helped into the private rented sector and employment; placing a duty on local authorities to actively intervene and find solutions; or helping people return to their country of origin where that is their preferred option. The task force must be more than a talking shop; we would expect given the urgency of the Government’s 2024 deadline that the task force should report by the end of 2021, with its policy proposal in force by 2022.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need for cross-government collaboration and states the Department will be working with partners, including the Home Office, to address rough sleeping and immigration policy. This will build on existing efforts like the Rough Sleeping Support Service, but they do not commit …
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
14
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Deferred
No formal review of the Government’s manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping has yet happened, due to the pandemic. We recommend the Government appoints a successor to Baroness Casey within the coming months to lead the review. This important work should not be delayed any further. The review must focus …
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No formal review of the Government’s manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping has yet happened, due to the pandemic. We recommend the Government appoints a successor to Baroness Casey within the coming months to lead the review. This important work should not be delayed any further. The review must focus on learning lessons from the successes of Everyone In, most important of which is that, given a clear mandate and funding, we have the means to end most rough sleeping in this country. The Government must also reflect on its new data which shows for the first time that the scale of the problem of those rough sleeping or at risk of doing so is much higher than previously estimated.
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Government response AI summary
The government states that it has not been the right time to return to the planned independent review to end rough sleeping due to the pandemic. It does not commit to appointing a successor to Baroness Casey within months, but reaffirms its commitment to ending …
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
15
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Accepted
We ask the Government to update us on whether it has achieved its target of delivering 3,300 housing units by March 2021 through its Next Steps Accommodation Programme.
Government response AI summary
The government provides an update, confirming allocations for 3,348 homes through the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme, but reports that some projects faced delays beyond March 2021. They commit to updating the committee in due course once all units from the October 2020 allocations are complete, …
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
16
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Accepted
There has been a lack of recent focus from the Government on wider homelessness, including those suffering in cramped, poor quality temporary accommodation for long periods of time during the pandemic. The Government must ensure its increased homelessness funding does not only benefit those suffering from visible homelessness.
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There has been a lack of recent focus from the Government on wider homelessness, including those suffering in cramped, poor quality temporary accommodation for long periods of time during the pandemic. The Government must ensure its increased homelessness funding does not only benefit those suffering from visible homelessness.
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Government response AI summary
The government confirms an increased Homelessness Prevention Grant of £310 million for 2021-22, which local authorities can use to prevent various forms of homelessness, including supporting those in temporary accommodation and preventing evictions, thereby addressing wider homelessness.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
17
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Accepted in Part
The Government will fail in its homelessness objectives if it continues to oversee the delivery of just a few thousand social rent homes a year. The ongoing shortage of social housing is a clear, long-term obstacle to finding suitable accommodation for people suffering homelessness, as well as forcing local authorities …
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The Government will fail in its homelessness objectives if it continues to oversee the delivery of just a few thousand social rent homes a year. The ongoing shortage of social housing is a clear, long-term obstacle to finding suitable accommodation for people suffering homelessness, as well as forcing local authorities to spend hundreds of million pounds to house families in temporary accommodation with no end in sight. Similarly, there are insufficient affordable options in the private rented sector. The Government continues to believe—without evidence—that its tenure- blind target of 300,000 is sufficient to meet its homelessness goals. We reiterate our recommendation from our report into social housing that the Government must invest in a social housebuilding programme that will deliver 90,000 social rented homes a year for at least the next ten years. (Paragraph 56) 38 Protecting the homeless and the private rented sector: MHCLG’s response to Covid-19 Protecting the private rented sector
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Government response AI summary
The government commits to investing £12 billion in affordable housing over five years, projecting approximately 32,000 social rent homes through a new Affordable Homes Programme, which doubles previous delivery but falls significantly short of the recommended 90,000 social rent homes per year.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
18
Conclusion
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Accepted
The Government is in danger of breaking its pledge that no one should lose their home as a result of the pandemic. We have seen no satisfactory evidence for why the Government changed the definition of substantial rent arrears to permit tenants who have built up arrears only during the …
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The Government is in danger of breaking its pledge that no one should lose their home as a result of the pandemic. We have seen no satisfactory evidence for why the Government changed the definition of substantial rent arrears to permit tenants who have built up arrears only during the pandemic to be evicted. It is also worrying that this significant change was not debated in the House until two weeks after the Regulations came into force.
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Government response AI summary
The government outlines its existing protective measures for renters and justifies its policy on evictions for substantial rent arrears, arguing it prevents market disruption and further tenant debt, implying its current framework addresses the committee's concerns without addressing the specific change in definition.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
19
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Accepted
We call on the Government to publish a proper exit plan for the private rented sector from national and local restrictions. The Government has tinkered regularly with the eviction framework, usually at the very last minute. Now the Government has published its roadmap for how to exit national restrictions, hopefully …
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We call on the Government to publish a proper exit plan for the private rented sector from national and local restrictions. The Government has tinkered regularly with the eviction framework, usually at the very last minute. Now the Government has published its roadmap for how to exit national restrictions, hopefully for the final time, it should set out how it intends for the sector to transition out of the pandemic.
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Government response AI summary
The government detailed its existing exit plan for the private rented sector, stating that it will begin tapering down eviction protections from 1 June 2021, with most measures ending by 30 September 2021, while continuing longer notice periods for tenants.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
20
Conclusion
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Not Addressed
We are concerned by the lack of robust data available to the Government on the value of rent arrears and how it equates to months of arrears, and by the impact this lack of data may have on policy-making.
Government response AI summary
The government's response mirrored the committee's conclusion, expressing concern about the lack of robust data on rent arrears without committing to any specific action to address this issue.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
21
Conclusion
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Accepted
The Government appears to lack a clear strategy to deal with rising rent arrears. We are very concerned that the Government is waiting until there is a clear crisis emerging before intervening, rather than heading off a growing rent arrears crisis by taking proactive action to protect people in this …
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The Government appears to lack a clear strategy to deal with rising rent arrears. We are very concerned that the Government is waiting until there is a clear crisis emerging before intervening, rather than heading off a growing rent arrears crisis by taking proactive action to protect people in this country. The Minister relied on arrears statistics from a survey in August to defend the Government’s response, even though he accepted that the economic circumstances would get worse over time for many households. Once arrears begin, they are likely to grow and will be exacerbated by rising unemployment throughout 2021 and as Government support schemes taper off. The Government will eventually have to come up with a policy response, because it cannot keep extending the evictions ban forever more.
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Government response AI summary
The government asserts it has an "unprecedented package of financial support," including increased Local Housing Allowance, Universal Credit, and an extended furlough scheme, which it believes is effective in protecting tenants from rent arrears and preventing evictions, committing only to continued monitoring.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
22
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Accepted
We call on the Government to deliver a specific financial package to support tenants to repay rent arrears caused by covid-19, having considered the examples in Scotland and Wales as well as many other international examples. This should be one of the Department’s top priorities. Several options have been proposed—we …
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We call on the Government to deliver a specific financial package to support tenants to repay rent arrears caused by covid-19, having considered the examples in Scotland and Wales as well as many other international examples. This should be one of the Department’s top priorities. Several options have been proposed—we prefer modified discretionary housing payments—but what is important is that the Department delivers a package soon. Helping tenants pay their rent arrears, including consideration of paying direct to landlords, is the simplest and most straightforward way to avoid evictions and help landlords receive income. We received an estimate that such a rent arrears relief package will likely cost between £200 and £300 million. Given the number of potential evictions this would prevent, it would likely save the Exchequer a substantial amount in homelessness assistance.
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Government response AI summary
The government highlights its existing "unprecedented package of financial support," including increased LHA, Universal Credit, and the furlough scheme, arguing these measures are effective in preventing hardship and supporting tenants with rent, thus declining to introduce a new, specific financial package.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
23
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Rejected
The Government should review its decision to freeze Local Housing Allowance rates by maintaining the 30th percentile in cash terms only, and instead keep rates indexed at the 30th percentile long-term. This will help households across England to afford their rent. (Paragraph 94) Protecting the homeless and the private rented …
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The Government should review its decision to freeze Local Housing Allowance rates by maintaining the 30th percentile in cash terms only, and instead keep rates indexed at the 30th percentile long-term. This will help households across England to afford their rent. (Paragraph 94) Protecting the homeless and the private rented sector: MHCLG’s response to Covid-19 39
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Government response AI summary
The government rejected the recommendation to review its decision on freezing Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates by maintaining them at the 30th percentile in cash terms, instead reaffirming its commitment to keeping rates at current cash levels for 2021-22.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
24
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Accepted
We also call on the Government to temporarily boost funding to discretionary housing payments to meet the needs of the tens of thousands of households who are receiving no extra income from welfare increases due to the benefit cap. This will further protect households from falling into rent arrears because …
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We also call on the Government to temporarily boost funding to discretionary housing payments to meet the needs of the tens of thousands of households who are receiving no extra income from welfare increases due to the benefit cap. This will further protect households from falling into rent arrears because of the pandemic.
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Government response AI summary
The government declined to temporarily boost funding for discretionary housing payments, instead reiterating its existing 'unprecedented package of financial support' (including increased LHA and Universal Credit) which it states has been effective in preventing homelessness.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
25
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Deferred
The Government must introduce the Renters’ Reform Bill urgently. The Government does not want to introduce the Renters’ Reform Bill until the pandemic has finished, but this is at odds with the approach the Government has taken with NHS reforms. The Health Secretary told the House that the pandemic made …
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The Government must introduce the Renters’ Reform Bill urgently. The Government does not want to introduce the Renters’ Reform Bill until the pandemic has finished, but this is at odds with the approach the Government has taken with NHS reforms. The Health Secretary told the House that the pandemic made the reforms “more not less urgent”. The same logic applies to the Renters’ Reform Bill and the urgent need to remove section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. If the Government does not abolish section 21 before we come out of the pandemic, there will be serious consequences for renters.
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Government response AI summary
The government confirms its commitment to the Renters' Reform Bill and its reforms, including abolishing Section 21 evictions, but states it needs time to consider the pandemic's impact and will work with stakeholders in the coming months, indicating a deferral rather than urgent introduction.
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
26
Recommendation
Sixth Report - Protecting the homeless …
Acknowledged
We reiterate our offer to conduct pre-legislative scrutiny of the Renters’ Reform Bill, should the Government choose to publish the Bill in draft. (Paragraph 99) 40 Protecting the homeless and the private rented sector: MHCLG’s response to Covid-19
Government response AI summary
The government reaffirms its commitment to the Renters' Reform Bill, including abolishing Section 21 evictions, and states it will work with sector voices and welcomes the Committee's views in due course, but does not explicitly accept the offer of pre-legislative scrutiny or commit to publishing …
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Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government