Frank Field – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2016-01-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of homeless families with children who are living in bed and breakfast accommodation have been in that accommodation for more than six weeks.

Mr Marcus Jones

As at 30 September 2015 there were 3,000 families with children in bed and breakfast style accommodation in England, of which 960 had been in bed and breakfast style accommodation for longer than six weeks.

Whilst this is less than the previous peak, we are clear the long term use of bed and breakfast accommodation for families with children is both unacceptable and unlawful. The law and statutory guidance make clear it should only ever be used in an emergency, and then for no longer than six weeks.

Tackling and preventing homelessness remains a priority and that is why we have protected homelessness prevention funding for local authorities, through the provisional local government finance settlement totalling £315 million by 2019/20 , increased central government funding for homelessness programmes to £139 million over the Spending Review period; and have made a commitment to work with local authorities, homelessness organisations and across Departments to consider options, including legislation, to prevent more people from becoming homeless.