PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Temporary Accommodation: Standards (9 March 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect on people's mental health of being housed in temporary accommodation without cooking facilities; and what steps he is taking to improve the quality of temporary accommodation.

Asked by:
Fleur Anderson (Labour)

The use of temporary accommodation means that people are getting help and it ensures no family is without a roof over their head.

Any accommodation secured by a local authority for a homeless household must meet the standards in the homelessness code of guidance, which sets out in detail what the authority must take into account when considering the accommodation’s suitability. Housing authorities will need to consider carefully the suitability of accommodation where households have a medical and/or physical need.

Homeless households also have the right to request a review of the accommodation offered to them. This is covered in the code of guidance, along with the suitability standards which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homelessness-code-of-guidance-for-local-authorities.

Reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation is a priority for this Government. We have allocated £437 million to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in 2020/21 – this is £69 million more than was allocated last year and includes £263 million for homelessness services which can be used flexibly as part of councils’ resourcing to achieve their homelessness strategies.

Answered by:
Luke Hall (Conservative)
13 March 2020