Recommendations & Conclusions
7 items
6
Recommendation
Forty-Ninth Report - COVID-19: housing …
Accepted
It is uncertain whether the Department will meet its objective of providing 3,300 homes for people sleeping rough by the end of March 2021. Under its Rough Sleeper Accommodation Programme, the Department has distributed £161 million funding against bids from local authorities for the provision of 3,300 homes for housing …
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It is uncertain whether the Department will meet its objective of providing 3,300 homes for people sleeping rough by the end of March 2021. Under its Rough Sleeper Accommodation Programme, the Department has distributed £161 million funding against bids from local authorities for the provision of 3,300 homes for housing people sleeping rough. Contrary to what it previously told us, the Department expects the majority of these homes to involve the leasing or purchasing of existing buildings (though sometimes involving significant renovation), rather than new additions to the housing stock. It expects people to stay in them on average for two years. The Department has not published or provided us with details on how these homes will contribute to its target of ending rough sleeping, or what further accommodation will be available for people to move into once their stay in these homes comes to an end. At the time we took evidence, in late January 2021, the Department was unable to provide any figures on the number of homes that had already been provided and occupied, nor how many it was on track to provide by the end of the financial year. Recommendation: The Department should write to us within two months on the progress it is making in securing 3,300 homes under its Rough Sleeper Accommodation Programme, and include details on how it will ensure the availability of the supported and affordable housing required for people to move into, once their stay in these homes comes to an end. 8 COVID-19: housing people sleeping rough 1 Rough sleeping strategy Introduction
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Government response AI summary
The government accepts the recommendation, committing to write to the committee by May 2021 to report progress on securing 3,300 homes under the Rough Sleeper Accommodation Programme and provide details on ensuring supported and affordable housing for move-on.
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HM Treasury
7
Conclusion
Forty-Ninth Report - COVID-19: housing …
Accepted
Notwithstanding the evident successes of Everyone In in the first wave of the pandemic, the National Audit Office noted that the Department’s response to the resurgence of COVID-19 in autumn and winter 2020 did not appear as comprehensive as in the spring. The NAO suggested that the Department would need …
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Notwithstanding the evident successes of Everyone In in the first wave of the pandemic, the National Audit Office noted that the Department’s response to the resurgence of COVID-19 in autumn and winter 2020 did not appear as comprehensive as in the spring. The NAO suggested that the Department would need to keep under close review whether it was protecting vulnerable individuals as decisively as in the early stages of the pandemic.19 Emerging data from the second wave of the pandemic is concerning, with reports of a sharp rise in cases of COVID-19 among the rough sleeping population in London in December 2020 and January 2021.20 Anecdotal reports suggest a contributory factor may have been an apparent rise during the second wave in the use of—and occupancy rates within—hostels with some communal facilities.21 9 Qq 3, 16; C&AG’s Report, para 1.15. 10 D Lewer et al., ‘COVID-19 among people experiencing homelessness in England: a modelling study’, The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, vol. 8 issue 12, December 2020, pp. 1181–91. 11 Office for National Statistics, Coronavirus and deaths of homeless people, England and Wales: deaths registered up to 26 June 2020, 10 July 2020. 12 Q 15; C&AG’s Report, para 1.10. 13 C&AG’s Report, para 1.10. 14 Qq 14, 17–18. 15 Qq 15, 20. 16 C&AG’s Report, para 1.12. 17 Qq 19–20. 18 C&AG’s Report, para 2.20. 19 C&AG’s Report, para 20(c). 20 [Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London]. 21 [Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London]. 10 COVID-19: housing people sleeping rough Rough sleeping target and strategy
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Government response AI summary
The government 'agreed' with the committee's implicit recommendation to keep its response under review, stating that it regularly reviews staffing capacity and ensures resources are aligned with ministerial priorities to support efforts in ending rough sleeping and reducing homelessness.
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HM Treasury
13
Conclusion
Forty-Ninth Report - COVID-19: housing …
Accepted
As of January 2021, local authorities said they were expecting to spend an extra £192 million in the 2020–21 financial year, in respect of additional spending on homelessness and rough sleeping as a result of the pandemic.46 The Department considers that it has reimbursed local authorities for the costs paid …
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As of January 2021, local authorities said they were expecting to spend an extra £192 million in the 2020–21 financial year, in respect of additional spending on homelessness and rough sleeping as a result of the pandemic.46 The Department considers that it has reimbursed local authorities for the costs paid out so far, with funding provided as part of wider support to local government and their finances over the past year.47 As of December 2020, the Department had distributed £4.6 billion in un-ringfenced funding to local authorities to cover all of their additional spending related to the pandemic, although we note that rough sleeping is just one among several other priorities to be covered by this funding.48
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee’s points and highlights its commitment of over £750 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. It also outlines efforts to streamline funding, such as combining grants into the new Homelessness Prevention Grant in 2022.
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HM Treasury
14
Conclusion
Forty-Ninth Report - COVID-19: housing …
Accepted
In addition, the Department is providing around £700 million for rough sleeping and homelessness in 2020–21, with the majority of this funding distributed through local authorities.49 Before the pandemic, the Department had planned to spend £495 million in 2020–21, as announced in previous spending rounds and the 2020 Budget.50 The …
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In addition, the Department is providing around £700 million for rough sleeping and homelessness in 2020–21, with the majority of this funding distributed through local authorities.49 Before the pandemic, the Department had planned to spend £495 million in 2020–21, as announced in previous spending rounds and the 2020 Budget.50 The Department told us that, as a result of the crisis, it had increased the funding available with £225 million of new money. This is a combination of money brought forward to 2020–21 that it had planned to spend in future years, and additional funding provided as part of its Next Steps Accommodation Programme.51 The Department has confirmed that it will make £750 million available to Local Authorities for tackling homelessness in 2021–22.52
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Government response AI summary
The government 'agreed' with the committee's observation, reiterating its commitment of over £750 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping for 2021-22. They also noted efforts to streamline funding streams for local authorities by combining grants into one Homelessness Prevention Grant in 2022.
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HM Treasury
19
Conclusion
Forty-Ninth Report - COVID-19: housing …
Accepted
Under its Rough Sleeper Accommodation Programme, the Department has distributed £161 million funding against bids from local authorities for the provision of 3,300 homes for housing rough sleepers.76 In October the Department led us to believe the majority of these homes would be new housing, that is, additions to the …
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Under its Rough Sleeper Accommodation Programme, the Department has distributed £161 million funding against bids from local authorities for the provision of 3,300 homes for housing rough sleepers.76 In October the Department led us to believe the majority of these homes would be new housing, that is, additions to the housing stock.77 In our recent evidence session, however, it clarified that the vast majority would be acquisitions or refurbishments of existing housing (albeit some would be refurbishments of “moribund stock”).78
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Government response AI summary
The government 'agrees' with the committee's observation (mistakenly calling it a recommendation) and commits to reporting progress on the delivery of 3,300 homes under the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme, providing further details on housing routes, and writing to the Committee by May 2021.
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HM Treasury
20
Conclusion
Forty-Ninth Report - COVID-19: housing …
Accepted
The Department described these 3,300 homes as “move-on” accommodation, although it made clear its assumption that residents would stay for an average of two years before needing to move on somewhere else. It did not clarify what its plans were for where they would move on to at the end …
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The Department described these 3,300 homes as “move-on” accommodation, although it made clear its assumption that residents would stay for an average of two years before needing to move on somewhere else. It did not clarify what its plans were for where they would move on to at the end of this period.79
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Government response AI summary
The government accepted the implicit recommendation to clarify move-on plans, stating they will provide further details on routes out of the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme into other forms of housing and will write directly to the Committee by May 2021.
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HM Treasury
21
Conclusion
Forty-Ninth Report - COVID-19: housing …
Accepted
As of September 2020 the Department was reasonably confident that all 3,300 homes would be completed by its target date of 31 March 2021.80 In our evidence session the 69 C&AG’s Report, para 2.12. 70 Q 41. 71 Qq 31–2. 72 Q 34. 73 Q 40. 74 Q 42. 75 …
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As of September 2020 the Department was reasonably confident that all 3,300 homes would be completed by its target date of 31 March 2021.80 In our evidence session the 69 C&AG’s Report, para 2.12. 70 Q 41. 71 Qq 31–2. 72 Q 34. 73 Q 40. 74 Q 42. 75 Q 46; C&AG’s Report, para 2.13. 76 C&AG’s Report, para 2.19. 77 Public Accounts Committee, Oral evidence: Starter Homes, HC 88, 22 October 2020, Qq 3–7. 78 Q 56. 79 Q 57. 80 C&AG’s Report, paras 2.19–20. COVID-19: housing people sleeping rough 15 Department told us it was its aim to have the vast majority of these homes to be ready by this date.81 However, it was unable to state how many were already completed, nor to provide any figures for how many it projected would be ready by the end of March.82 81 Q 50. 82 Qq 55–6, 58. 16 COVID-19: housing people sleeping rough
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees and commits to reporting progress on the delivery of 3,300 homes under the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme, and will provide further details to the Committee by May 2021.
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HM Treasury