On what basis will the additional £15 million to tackle homelessness in the government budget for 2022-23 be allocated to each local authority?
As set out in my oral evidence to the Local Government and Housing Committee on 21 January, £10 million of the uplift to the Homelessness Prevention BEL will be allocated to local authorities in 2022-23 to support the continuation of the ‘no-one left out’ approach. My officials have been engaging with local authorities to inform a distribution mechanism, and distribution will primarily take into account where demand for, and associated costs of, temporary accommodation has been greatest across Wales. Details of allocations to local authorities are currently being finalised and will be communicated to them shortly.
The remaining £5 million of the uplift in the Homelessness Prevention BEL will be used to fund a range of other interventions to prevent homelessness, such as development of a national scheme restricting rent to local housing allowance levels for families and young people who are homeless or who are at risk of homelessness. Details of the remaining allocations are currently being finalised and will be communicated in due course.