Written questions by Beales.

Communities and Local Government, what measures her Department is taking to ensure people admitted to hospital while rough sleeping have somewhere secure to sleep upon discharge from hospital.

We have published A National Plan to End Homelessness, our cross-Government Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy. This commits to a target that no one eligible for homelessness assistance is discharged to the street after a hospital stay. To help achieve this we will work with the NHS and councils to implement the guidance published in 2024, 'Discharging people at risk of or experiencing homelessness', to help staff plan safe discharges and prevent homelessness after NHS care.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he had made of the role of furniture provision in increasing tenancy sustainability and reducing homelessness presentations; and if his department will encourage local authorities to use a portion of the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant to provide these essential items.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his department's policies of trends in the number of homelessness entering accommodation without flooring, window coverings, furniture, white goods, or financial savings; and what steps is he taking to protect those who have experienced homelessness and to help ensure that they can rebuild their lives.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the concerns of frontline homelessness staff who believe that moving homelessness survivors into unfurnished properties leads to tenancies failing; and what steps his department is taking to address these concerns.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of children who have experienced homelessness being moved into properties with (a) unsafe or (b) no flooring; and if he will take steps to encourage the sector to provide properties with all required furnishings.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his department has made of the impact of furniture poverty on homelessness prevention and recovery; and if he will explore possibilities to use furnished tenancies to reduce homelessness presentations.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of local authority housing-related debt rules on domestic abuse survivors who are placed in temporary accommodation and seeking social housing.

Local housing authorities can already take into account an applicant’s financial resources when considering their application, including debt and affordability checks.We would expect local authorities to show consideration for the circumstances in which the debt was accrued.Statutory guidance encourages local housing authorities to support victims of domestic abuse. The government is committed to keeping our statutory guidance under review, including how we support vulnerable groups such as victims of domestic abuse.My Department will publish its homelessness strategy before the end of the year.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of adopting a national exemption for domestic abuse survivors from housing-related debt rules in social housing allocation policies.

Local housing authorities can already take into account an applicant’s financial resources when considering their application, including debt and affordability checks.We would expect local authorities to show consideration for the circumstances in which the debt was accrued.Statutory guidance encourages local housing authorities to support victims of domestic abuse. The government is committed to keeping our statutory guidance under review, including how we support vulnerable groups such as victims of domestic abuse.My Department will publish its homelessness strategy before the end of the year.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure landlords let accommodation is fit for human habitation as set out in the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.

If rented houses or flats are not fit for human habitation, tenants can take their landlords to court under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018. The court can make the landlord carry out repairs and put right health and safety problems. The court can also make the landlord pay compensation to the tenant. The government is committed to ensuring that rented homes are safe, decent, warm, and free from damp and mould. The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 will extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector and introduce a Decent Homes Standard for privately rented homes for the first time. The Decent Homes Standard already applies to social housing. Enforcement in the social sector is being strengthened through the Social Housing Regulation Act, including through the implementation of Awaab’s Law, the first phase of which has already come into force.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of furniture provision on (a) tenancy sustainability and (b) homelessness; and if his Department will encourage local authorities to use the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant to provide furniture.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what discussions his Department has had with frontline homelessness staff on the impact of moving homelessness survivors into unfurnished properties.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that people (a) leaving homelessness do not enter accommodation without flooring, window coverings, furniture and white goods and (b) who have experienced homelessness can rebuild their lives.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to question UIN 92799 on 28 November 2025.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department plans to take to help ensure that landlords (a) introduce flooring in all habitable rooms within a reasonable timeframe and (b) otherwise follow the Decent Homes Standard.

My Department engages actively with registered providers of social housing on all issues facing social housing tenants and with a range of stakeholders on issues facing residents and has engaged with groups such as End Furniture Poverty to understand their research on this issue. On 2 July, we opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation proposed that government develop best practice guidance for all landlords including information and support where tenants in need can access help on furniture provision. The consultation has now closed and responses are being analysed. More information about future guidance will be released as part of the government response. People in need may be able to get support from their local authorities via the ‘Household Support Fund’ and other services available locally.

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department plans to write to social landlords to encourage them to offer a proportion of their properties as furnished, in the context of the best practice guide within the Decent Homes Standard.

My Department engages actively with registered providers of social housing on all issues facing social housing tenants and with a range of stakeholders on issues facing residents and has engaged with groups such as End Furniture Poverty to understand their research on this issue. On 2 July, we opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation proposed that government develop best practice guidance for all landlords including information and support where tenants in need can access help on furniture provision. The consultation has now closed and responses are being analysed. More information about future guidance will be released as part of the government response. People in need may be able to get support from their local authorities via the ‘Household Support Fund’ and other services available locally.

Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the best practice guide within the Decent Homes Standard on the number of landlords who furnish their properties using furnished tenancies.

My Department engages actively with registered providers of social housing on all issues facing social housing tenants and with a range of stakeholders on issues facing residents and has engaged with groups such as End Furniture Poverty to understand their research on this issue. On 2 July, we opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation proposed that government develop best practice guidance for all landlords including information and support where tenants in need can access help on furniture provision. The consultation has now closed and responses are being analysed. More information about future guidance will be released as part of the government response. People in need may be able to get support from their local authorities via the ‘Household Support Fund’ and other services available locally.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department plans to take to monitor the implementation of the Decent Homes Standard in relation to (a) the best practice guide and (b) furniture provision within social housing.

My Department engages actively with registered providers of social housing on all issues facing social housing tenants and with a range of stakeholders on issues facing residents and has engaged with groups such as End Furniture Poverty to understand their research on this issue. On 2 July, we opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation proposed that government develop best practice guidance for all landlords including information and support where tenants in need can access help on furniture provision. The consultation has now closed and responses are being analysed. More information about future guidance will be released as part of the government response. People in need may be able to get support from their local authorities via the ‘Household Support Fund’ and other services available locally.

Communities and Local Government, what estimate his Department has made of the level of furniture poverty in Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of furnished tenancies on the level of furniture poverty.

My Department engages actively with registered providers of social housing on all issues facing social housing tenants and with a range of stakeholders on issues facing residents and has engaged with groups such as End Furniture Poverty to understand their research on this issue. On 2 July, we opened a consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors. It can be found on gov.uk here. The consultation proposed that government develop best practice guidance for all landlords including information and support where tenants in need can access help on furniture provision. The consultation has now closed and responses are being analysed. More information about future guidance will be released as part of the government response. People in need may be able to get support from their local authorities via the ‘Household Support Fund’ and other services available locally.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of (a) support available to fire and rescue staff who attend traumatic incidents and (b) suicide prevention training provided to fire and rescue staff.

The health and wellbeing of firefighters is of the utmost importance. The government recognises the risks that firefighters face and is grateful to them for their bravery. Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) are ultimately responsible for the health and wellbeing of firefighters and the government-issued National Framework directs that all Fire and Rescue Authorities should have a people strategy which sets out the mental and physical health and wellbeing support available to firefighters. National organisations such as The Fire Fighters Charity and Mind also offer valuable support to individuals and services. Their resources can assist Fire and Rescue Authorities in developing local approaches to managing mental health risks and promoting the wellbeing of their workforce. The health and wellbeing support provided by Fire and Rescue services is considered by the fire inspectorate (His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services) in the course of their work.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of delays in the S106 process; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of standardised agreements.

The government recognise that protracted negotiations on section 106 agreements increase costs for local authorities and developers, and can have a disproportionate impact on SME builders.On 28 May 2025, the government published the Planning Reform Working Paper: Reforming Site Thresholds (which can be found on gov.uk here). The working paper seeks views and evidence as to how section 106 obligations can be agreed more quickly, and the role national government should play in improving the process – including the merits of a standardised s106 template for medium sites. We will consider comments received on this working paper, which will inform a consultation later in the year.Planning practice guidance on planning obligations encourages local planning authorities to use and publish standard forms and templates to assist with the process of agreeing planning obligations. These could include model agreements and clauses (including those already published by other bodies), that could be made publicly available to help with the planning application process. The guidance also states that planning obligations should be negotiated to enable decisions on planning applications to be made within the statutory time limits or a longer period where agreed in writing between the local planning authority and the applicant.The government is committed to strengthening the system of developer contributions, including section 106 planning obligations, to ensure new developments provide necessary affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.

Communities and Local Government, which departments are contributing to ensuring that the distinct needs of young people are reflected in the development of the cross-governmental homelessness strategy.

Homelessness levels are far too high. This can have a devastating impact on those affected, including young people. We must address this and deliver long term solutions. The Deputy Prime Minister is leading cross-government work to deliver the long-term solutions we need to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness. This includes chairing a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, bringing together ministers from across government to develop a long-term strategy. We have also established an Expert Group to bring together representatives from across the homelessness and rough sleeping sector, local and combined authorities and wider experts. The role of this expert group is to provide knowledge, analysis and challenge to help Government understand what is working well nationally and locally and where improvements are needed. We will continue to meet with a range of stakeholders, including mayors and MPs, to make sure the strategy is informed by a range of expertise. As well as work on the Inter-Ministerial Group and Expert Group we are also working closely with the sector to deliver a number of lived experience forums to ensure that the voices of those with lived experience are reflected in the homelessness strategy.