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Select Committee · Public Accounts Committee

Tackling homelessness

Status: Closed Opened: 31 Oct 2024 Closed: 3 Apr 2025 18 recommendations 20 conclusions 1 report

All forms of homelessness are increasing. In 2022-23, there were over 100,000 households in England living in temporary accommodation, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 extended the duties for councils to work more on prevention and relief. Since then, homelessness has worsened due to factors including a continuing shortage …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
4th Report - Tackling homelessness HC 352 24 Jan 2025 38 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
16 Conclusion 4th Report - Tackling homelessness Accepted in Part

Out-of-area homeless placements significantly increasing, causing disruption for households, particularly children.

For a variety of reasons, including lack of housing supply and suitability of accommodation, some local authorities struggle to place households within their local area. MHCLG acknowledges that placing households out of area can cause disruption, especially to children, including challenges for their education and social isolation affecting their health …

Government response. The government agrees and will explore publishing additional data on temporary accommodation and out-of-area placements by April 2025. MHCLG will also continue to engage with local government on this issue, noting existing legislation already requires local placements where possible.
HM Treasury
18 Conclusion 4th Report - Tackling homelessness Accepted in Part

Anecdotal evidence indicates local authorities are 'swapping' homeless households between areas

We enquired whether some local authorities were effectively “swapping” households with other local authorities. MHCLG replied that it received a lot of anecdotal evidence that this was happening, and that such an approach was clearly wrong given that it is better for people to stay as close as possible to …

Government response. The government agrees and will explore publishing additional data on temporary accommodation and out-of-area placements by April 2025. MHCLG will also continue to engage with local government on this issue, noting existing legislation already requires local placements where possible. This …
HM Treasury

Oral evidence sessions

1 session
Date Witnesses
2 Dec 2024 Catherine Frances · Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, James Wolfe · Department for Work and Pensions, Jenan Hasan · Department for Work & Pensions, Penny Hobman · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sarah Healey CB CVO · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government View ↗

Correspondence

1 letter
DateDirectionTitle
7 Apr 2025 To cttee Letter from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and…