Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Accepted
The National Audit Office report found that the Programme could bring greater value to other...
Recommendation
The National Audit Office report found that the Programme could bring greater value to other parts of government, for example, in reducing the numbers of people in temporary accommodation. Local authority spend on homelessness has increased 50% in real-terms from 2015–16 to 2020–21.38 London Councils highlighted particular high levels of homelessness and use of temporary accommodation in London.39 We asked the Department whether it has done a cost-benefit analysis of reducing the numbers of people in temporary accommodation. The Department told us it estimates that the 2021 programme will take 8,500 households out of temporary accommodation, but could not quantify the associated financial savings.40
Government Response Summary
The government will quantify wider savings to areas such as adult social care and temporary accommodation before the next iteration of the Programme, collecting evidence through resident surveys.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
4. PAC conclusion: The Department does not quantify potential savings in some areas, such as temporary accommodation, into the Programme. 4. PAC recommendation: Before the next iteration of the Programme, the Department should quantify the wider savings it could make to areas such as adult social care and temporary accommodation. 4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Spring 2024 4.2 The government understands that there are wider outcomes and positive impacts that flow from increasing the supply of affordable housing. The evaluation for the 2021 programme will collect evidence through resident surveys to help the department understand many of these, including impacts for adult social care and temporary accommodation. The government’s published scoping study details a proposed methodology for how it intends to undertake the evaluation. It is anticipated that the first round of resident surveys will take place in 2024 and these surveys will repeat until 2029.