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1331051

registered interest
date	08/06/2021
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Evictions: Families
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of families at risk of eviction; and what steps they are taking to support them.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL901
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2021 answer text <p>The Government does not publish data on the number of families who are at risk of eviction.</p><p>The Government continues to provide support for all tenants, including families. A significant package of financial support is available to tenants to help them pay their rent. Local Housing Allowance rates were increased in April 2020 to the 30th percentile of market rents. In 2020/21 rates have been frozen in cash terms meaning claimants renting in the private rented sector will continue to benefit from the significant increase applied in April 2020. We have also made £140 million in Discretionary Housing Payments funding available, for local authorities to distribute to renters who require additional support. This is in addition to the wider support available through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and £20 weekly uplift to Universal Credit, which are in place until the end of September.</p><p>Tenants continue to benefit from longer notice periods of four months in most cases, giving them more time to make alternative arrangements where needed. New arrangements have also been introduced to protect tenants where a possession claim is made to the court. These include requiring landlords to provide information about how their tenant and their dependents have been affected by the pandemic, and a review stage to enable tenants to access legal advice. A new mediation pilot integrated into the court process is supporting landlords and renters who face court procedures and potential eviction to resolve issues and to help sustain tenancies where possible.</p><p>Evictions must be scheduled with a minimum of 14 days’ notice and will not be carried out if bailiffs are made aware that a member of the household has Covid-19 symptoms or is self-isolating. In certain circumstances, tenants are able to apply to suspend an eviction, for example if a tenant missed the court hearing for a good reason and there would have had a good case for the possession order not to have been granted had they attended.</p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 21/06/2021 15:33:18 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1276467

registered interest
date	13/01/2021
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Landlords: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce specific financial support for landlords who have lost rent as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL12119
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2021 answer text <p>We are supporting landlords by supporting tenants to continue paying rent. This includes support for businesses to pay staff salaries through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which has now been extended until the end of April 2021. We have also introduced a substantial package of wider measures in 2020/21 to help those who are facing financial disruption during the current situation.</p><p>The recently published EHS Household Resilience Study found that 93 per cent of private renters are up to date on their rent. This indicates our package of support is working, and has prevented widespread arrears.</p><p>Where landlords find themselves in coronavirus-related hardship, mortgage lenders have agreed to offer payment holidays of up to six months, including for buy-to-let mortgages. The application window is open until 31 March 2021.The FCA has been clear that for borrowers who have taken six months’ holiday and continue to face ongoing financial difficulties, firms should continue to provide support through tailored forbearance options.</p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 25/01/2021 12:15:47 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1276468

registered interest
date	13/01/2021
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Rented Housing: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide financial support to tenants who have accrued rent arrears as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL12120
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2021 answer text <p>The UK Government has provided an unprecedented package of financial support which is available to tenants, and we continue to closely monitor the impacts of Covid-19 upon renters.</p><p>Notably, we have increased the local housing allowance rate to the 30th percentile. The increased LHA rates are expected to provide 1.5 million claimants with around £600 per year of housing support more than they would otherwise have received. This measure maintains that significant increase for all rates, by protecting the rates at the current levels in cash terms in 2021/22, even in areas where the 30th percentile of local rents has gone down. This continued investment in the LHA will support claimants in the private rented sector to manage housing costs. We also increased Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit by up to £1,040 for the year. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has offered support for business to pay staff salaries, enabling people to continue to pay their rent and has been extended until April 2021.</p><p>For those who require additional support, Discretionary Housing Payments are available. As announced at the spending round for 2020/21, there is already £180 million in Discretionary Housing Payments for Local Authorities to distribute for supporting renters with housing costs in the private and social rented sectors. For 2021-22 the Government will make available £140 million in DHP funding, which takes account of the increased LHA rates. These interventions offer a more appropriate and sustainable form of support for vulnerable renters.</p><p>The recently published EHS Household Resilience Study found that 93 per cent of private renters are up to date on their rent. This indicates our package of support is working, and has prevented widespread arrears.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 25/01/2021 12:10:59 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1249029

registered interest
date	04/11/2020
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Landlords: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial impact of COVID-19 on private landlords; and what steps are they taking to provide financial support to private landlords.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL10021
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2020 answer text <p>The Government is supporting landlords by helping tenants to pay their rent, and has brought forward a significant economic response, including support for business to pay staff salaries through the furlough scheme, which has been extended to March.</p><p>As made clear in our COVID renting guidance to tenants and landlords, tenants who are able to pay rent must continue to do so. Where landlords find themselves in coronavirus-related hardship, mortgage lenders have agreed to offer payment holidays of up to six months, with applications now open until 31 January 2021.</p><p>Housing possession claims are able to be actioned through the courts and we have worked with the judiciary to introduce new court arrangements to ensure appropriate protection for all parties. Listing is a matter for the judiciary but they will prioritise the cases that represent the most strain on landlords such as anti-social behaviour and extreme rent arrears. The Government believes this strikes the right balance between prioritising public health and supporting the most vulnerable renters, whilst ensuring landlords can access and exercise their right to justice for the most serious cases.</p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 16/11/2020 15:13:01 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1249030

registered interest
date	04/11/2020
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Rented Housing: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the scale of rental income losses in England during the COVID-19 pandemic.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL10022
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2020 answer text <p>The Government has established an unprecedented package of support throughout the COVID-19 pandemic which is supporting renters to sustain tenancies and continue paying rent. As with all policy making, this is informed by a range of data sources.</p><p>This comprehensive package includes a range of support for businesses to pay staff salaries, including through the furlough scheme which has now been extended to March. We have also strengthened the welfare safety-net with over £9 billion boost to the welfare system, including an extra £1 billion to increase Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates so that they cover the lowest 30% of market rents. For those renters who require additional support, there is an existing £180 million of Government funding for Discretionary Housing Payments made available this year, an increase of £40 million from last year and which is for councils to distribute to support renters with housing costs.</p><p>The Department does not currently hold information on the scale of rental losses.</p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 16/11/2020 15:16:54 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1241007

registered interest
date	06/10/2020
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Homelessness: Ethnic Groups
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address homelessness amongst BAME groups who are at greater risk from COVID-19.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL8836
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>Our rapid response to the pandemic through ‘Everyone In’ has ensured that thousands of people experiencing or at risk of rough sleeping have been housed in emergency accommodation since the start of the pandemic, to protect those at greater risk from COVID-19. The Next Steps Accommodation Programme is supporting local authorities and their partners to prevent people from returning to the streets. This is backed by over half a billion pounds to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping this year.</p><p>Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide accommodation for households that are homeless and defined as being in priority need, unintentionally homeless and eligible for assistance. They are obliged to secure temporary accommodation for the household in the first instance until suitable long-term accommodation can be secured.</p><p>The priority need category includes those who are vulnerable as a result of special reasons and local authorities should consider the impact COVID-19 is having on those with protected characteristics when carrying out their homelessness assessment and determining priority need.</p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 14/10/2020 15:13:20 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1222202

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Local Government: Ethnic Groups
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of research published on 8 July from the University of Manchester suggesting that BAME communities are underrepresented in local government.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL6642
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2020 answer text <p>The government has read the report with interest. We are keen to promote diversity and make sure that everyone has the chance to succeed. Councils are independent employers and Councillors are democratically-elected. Government rightly has no role in any staffing decisions or electoral processes. However, we would encourage all councils to endeavour to build workforces, and encourage political parties to choose candidates that are diverse, represent the communities they serve and address any under-representations.</p><p>We are aware that the LGA want to encourage more people to stand as councillors as part of their ‘Be a Councillor’ campaign. The LGA agree that we need a numerous and diverse set of candidates and councillors to represent our numerous and diverse local communities, ensuring that local decision making is robust and well-informed.</p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 22/07/2020 13:46:15 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1202105

registered interest
date	09/06/2020
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Homelessness: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to find homeless people in England long-term housing after the COVID-19 pandemic.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL5496
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2020 answer text <p>To support local authorities effectively, the funding for 2020/21 includes:</p><ul><li>The Flexible Homelessness Support Grant of £200m which seeks to help local authorities plan and respond to their local homelessness pressures; and</li><li>A £63m Homelessness Reduction Grant to implement the Homelessness Reduction Act enabling local authorities to do more to prevent and relieve homelessness in their areas.</li></ul><p>This is in addition to the £160m allocation for the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Project, which seeks to provide thousands of long-term, safe homes for vulnerable rough sleepers taken off the streets during the COVID-19 pandemic and the £112m Rough Sleeping Initiative fund. This fund is designed to support the establishment or enhancement of coordinated local services for rough sleepers, or those at risk of sleeping rough.</p><p>To further enable local authorities to respond to COVID-19 pressures, we have made over £3.2 billion of additional funding available for their response across the services they deliver including helping homeless people. This is in addition to £3.2 million targeted funding to ensure that we minimise the risk to those rough sleepers currently unable to self-isolate.</p><p>We have announced that Dame Louise Casey will spearhead a Taskforce to lead the next phase of the Government’s support for rough sleepers during this pandemic. The Taskforce will work hand-in-hand with councils across the country on plans to ensure rough sleepers can move into long-term, safe accommodation once the immediate crisis is over – ensuring as few people as possible return to life on the streets.</p><p>Additionally, in April 2020 the Government increased the Local Housing Allowance rates for Universal Credit and Housing Benefit claimants to the 30th percentile of market rents. This will mean it will be easier for local authorities to fulfil their homelessness duties by assisting people to find suitable and affordable accommodation in the private rented sector.</p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 22/06/2020 14:30:08 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick