HL Deb 14 May 2002 vol 635 cc32-4WA
Lord Ouseley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many homeless people in England were in bed and breakfast and hotel accommodation on 31 March; and of those (a) how many were children; (b) how many were in London and the South of England; and (c) what was the average length of stay per household. [HL4277]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

Figures for numbers in bed and breakfast as at March 31 2002 will be available on 17 June. As at 31 December, there were 12,110 homeless households in bed and breakfast in England. Of these, 8,700 were in London and 1,270 in the South East. The Bed and Breakfast Unit has estimated that there are some 6,500 homeless households with children in bed and breakfast accommodation. The statistics to be released on 17 June will for the first time include data on length of stay.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions recently announced a new commitment to ensure that by March 2004 no family with children will be placed in B&B other than in an emergency. This was accompanied by changes in housing benefit subsidies to make leasing self-contained temporary accommodation more cost-effective, and an additional £35 million from DTLR to help local authorities find alternatives to B&B.

Lord Ouseley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to reduce the numbers of homeless households in bed and breakfast and hotel accommodation; and how effective these steps have been. [HL4228]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

The Bed and Breakfast Unit (BBU) has undertaken a national consultation exercise, including a conference, and a number of regional good practice seminars. Examples of good practice have also been identified and shared through a newsletter and are posted on the BBU pages of the DTLR website. Shortly, the first action advice teams will go into authorities to audit procedures for getting people out of B&B.

In March this year my right honourable friend the Secretary of State announced a £35 million programme to ensure that by March 2004 no homeless family with children is in B&B for more than six weeks. In addition, the Department for Work and Pensions has made changes to housing benefit subsidy arrangements making the leasing of self-contained property for homeless households more financially viable. High B&B using authorities are producing action plans showing how they will reduce numbers and length of stay for homeless families with children in B&B over the next two years to meet the Secretary of State's commitment.

Lord Ouseley

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What was the cost for the year ending 31 March of providing homeless people with bed and breakfast and hotel accommodation. [HL4229]

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

Based on the latest information supplied by local authorities in England, gross expenditure on bed and breakfast provision in 2000–01 was £193 million. Net expenditure, after taking into account income arising from charges to clients and housing benefit subsidy, was £74 million.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions recently announced a new commitment to ensure that by March 2004 no family with children will be placed in B&I3 other than in an emergency. This was accompanied by changes in housing benefit subsidies to make leasing self-contained temporary accommodation more cost-effective and an additional £35 million from DTLR to help local authorities find alternatives to B&B.