A number of constituents have contacted me as part of a
campaign called ‘Youth homelessness in our constituency’
This Government is committed to supporting vulnerable
claimants, such as those with mental health conditions or experiencing homelessness.
We understand that these claimants may face extra challenges in their lives.
Universal Credit is designed to target resources at those that need them most
and to provide support for people who cannot work or need help moving towards
the labour market.
We recognise the importance of understanding how a mental
health condition impacts someone’s ability to prepare for and look for work.
That is why we have developed a range of specialised mental health training for
work coaches and increased the number of Disability Employment Advisers who can
provide additional support where needed. Furthermore, we have a number of
Community Partners recruited specifically for their expertise in mental health
issues, that can provide advice that is often based on lived experience.
In the case of homeless claimants, it is our priority to
ensure that people experiencing homelessness get the appropriate support they
need to improve their lives and move into work. For example, we are able to put
job-seeking requirements on hold temporarily whilst claimants find
accommodation or stabilise their housing situation, as well as priority access
to the Work and Health Programme.
We are supporting the manifesto commitment to halve rough
sleeping by 2022 and eradicate it altogether by 2027 through the Homelessness
and Rough Sleeping Reduction Taskforce, and commitments set out in the recent
Rough Sleeping Strategy. Furthermore, work coaches in England are legally bound
to offer a voluntary referral to claimants they consider may be homeless or
threatened with homelessness to a Local Housing Authority of the claimant’s
choice.
Rough sleepers, or those at risk of rough sleeping have also
been supported by £3.2 million of initial emergency funding if they need to
self-isolate to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
The funding has been available to all local authorities in
England and will reimburse them for the cost of providing accommodation and
services to those sleeping on the streets to help them successfully self-isolate.
I was also pleased to see at the weekend, the Government
announce further funding to support homelessness prevention charities, and that
St Petroc’s Society and Harbour Housing in Mid-Cornwall have both received
some.
This is in addition to the £492 million committed in 2020 to
2021 to support the government’s ambition to end rough sleeping in this
Parliament, a £124 million increase in funding from the previous year. This
forms part of £643 million in funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping
over the next four years.
This initial emergency response funding will ensure swift
support is offered to people who are unable to self-isolate, such as those
staying in night shelters or assessment hubs, as well as people who are
currently sleeping rough.
