§ Mr. FitzpatrickTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement about the future of the interim funding arrangements for supported accommodation from the end of October. [50751]
§ Ms HarmanI am pleased to announce that the Government will be extending for a further twelve months our interim funding arrangements for supported accommodation.
The Government fully appreciate the importance of supported housing for vulnerable people. Extending the interim scheme will ensure financial security for many thousands of tenants who rely on Housing Benefit to meet the cost of the support services they need and which allow them to live with some measure of independence in the community.
We hope to conclude the inter-Departmental Review of funding for supported accommodation in the near future. However, the supported housing sector is a complex area and the problems identified by the Review have proved to be particularly difficult to resolve. The Government remain committed to identifying and introducing appropriate long-term funding arrangements as soon as possible.
The Government believe that it is important to ensure that whatever arrangements are implemented for the long-term, they are sustainable and achieve a fair balance between the demands on Housing Benefit and other sources of funding. We will give supported housing providers and other stakeholders an opportunity to comment before new arrangements are implemented.