Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 15
15
We ask the Government to update us on whether it has achieved its target of...
Conclusion
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
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
In May 2020, the Government announced the decision to accelerate delivery of the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and in recognition of the need for move-on homes for those in emergency accommodation following the success of the “Everyone In” initiative. This £433m programme to deliver 6,000 homes and support to former rough sleepers represents the largest ever investment in move-on accommodation. On 29 October 2020 we confirmed allocations of funding, subject to due diligence, to 276 schemes to deliver up to 3,348 homes with support. Funding allocations were published at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/930786/RSAP_allocations.pdf Local authorities, registered providers and their partners have shown strong commitment to delivering move-on accommodation and to supporting our aim of ending rough sleeping. However, they have faced considerable challenges to delivery of their schemes in 2020-21, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic and associated restrictions. Our delivery partners, the Greater London Authority and Homes England, have been working closely with local schemes to monitor and drive delivery inside and outside London respectively. In some cases, individual project completion timescales have moved beyond 31st March as a result of unforeseen or unavoidable delays, or schemes have withdrawn where delays or challenging market conditions now make them undeliverable. Homes England and the GLA, are continuing to drive delivery of these units and we will update the committee in due course, following the completion of all units from the allocations announced in October 2020. This Government remains committed to investing in delivering move-on accommodation for this cohort. In March, we launched the next round of the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme with a further £212m available to councils and housing associations to bring forward move-on accommodation and support for rough sleepers. These homes are long-term assets which will support multiple rough sleepers. Government is committing funding up to 23/24 to ensure those in RSAP units receive ongoing support, including to help prepare them for a move into PRS or wider social housing.