Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Deferred
Provide update on connecting homelessness data with public services and improve related data collection.
Recommendation
The Government should provide an update on its efforts to connect homelessness data with data from other public services, including health data, to take a more holistic approach to understanding the drivers of homelessness in England. It should also consider how it may improve data 46 collection and reporting of the housing circumstances of A&E admissions and GP referrals, and of school absenteeism, to improve understanding of how temporary accommodation impacts children’s health and education. (Recommendation, Paragraph 65) The Government’s strategy to end homelessness
Government Response Summary
The government did not address the recommendation to update on connecting homelessness data with other public services or improving data collection for A&E, GP, and school absenteeism. Instead, it highlighted general efforts to publish a homelessness strategy, increase homelessness funding, boost affordable housing, and progress the Renters' Rights Bill.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
40. We will publish the homelessness strategy later this year. We continue to make progress in the meantime, including increasing funding for homelessness services in 2025/26 by £233 million. This increased spending will help to prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation and help to prevent rough sleeping, bringing the total spend to nearly £1 billion. 41. At Spring Statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. We have also provided two immediate one-year cash injections to top up the existing Affordable Homes Programme – of £800 million in total with the expectation this will deliver up to an extra 7,800 homes. 42. The Renters’ Rights Bill is progressing through Parliament at pace, which will abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, one of the leading causes of homelessness, preventing private renters being exploited and discriminated against, and empowering people to challenge unreasonable rent increases. 43. We will review the purpose of the IMG after publication of the homelessness strategy.