The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) is committed to levelling up all parts of our country. We have also recognised the unique circumstances and needs of island communities and their residents, including by establishing the Islands Forum. The Forum is a mechanism for discussing the challenges and opportunities faced by island communities, and for considering how by working together local government and the UK Government (and where relevant the devolved administrations) can support the people of islands across the UK.<\/p>
The Isles of Scilly has been awarded up to £6 million to fund a museum and cultural centre on St Mary\u2019s. In addition, the final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2024-25 makes available up to £6.8 million to the Council of the Isles of Scilly, an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £0.5 million or 8% in cash terms on 2023-24. This includes an additional £150,000 in funding in recognition of the unique circumstances facing our island authorities, and their physical separation from the mainland.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4985", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Swinburne"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Swinburne"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-08T15:11:41.6Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-03-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Community Development: Isles of Scilly"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, have they made of the cultural and economic welfare of the permanent residents of the Scilly Isles.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Patten"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Patten"} ], "uin" : "HL3592"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1698226", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1698226/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government recognises the cost of living pressures that tenants are facing, and that paying rent is likely to be a tenant\u2019s biggest monthly expense.<\/p>
Over the last two years, the Government has demonstrated its commitment to supporting the most vulnerable with one of the largest support packages in Europe. Taken together, total support between 2022 and 2025 to help households with the cost-of-living is worth £108 billion \u2013 an average of £3,800 per UK household.<\/p>
Individuals who need help to make their rent payments may be eligible for a range of support through the welfare system. From April 2024, the Government will be spending £1.2 billion restoring Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile of local market rents. This significant investment means 1.6 million low-income households will gain, on average, nearly £800 per year in additional help towards their rental costs in 2024/25. For those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs and need more support, Discretionary Housing Payments and Household Support Fund grants are also available from local authorities.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4985", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Swinburne"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Swinburne"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-08T14:38:22.53Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-03-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Housing: Rents"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of figures released by the Office for National Statistics on 20 March showing an average increase in monthly rent paid by tenants in the UK of 9 per cent in the year ending in February, including an increase to 10.6 per cent in London to an average monthly rent of £2,035.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4345", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Southwark"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "The Lord Bishop of Southwark"} ], "uin" : "HL3567"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1697329", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1697329/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK Government is committed to levelling up across the whole of the United Kingdom. As part of a wide range of policies and interventions, we are investing over £15 billion in a suite of complementary Levelling Up projects across the UK to help grow the economy, create jobs, redevelop local amenities, improve transport, provide skills training, and support local businesses.<\/p>
The department plans to complete process, impact, and value for money evaluations on these funds. These evaluations will help improve effectiveness and efficiency of local growth funding.<\/p>
271 bids have been awarded funding from our multi-billion-pound Levelling Up Fund, investing in infrastructure that improves everyday life for local residents across the UK. The published (attached) Levelling Up Fund Impact Evaluation Scoping Report<\/a> sets out how the impact of the Fund will be estimated at the programme and project levels and at different geographies.<\/p> The UK Shared Prosperity Fund, worth £2.5 billion, is focused on overcoming deep-seated geographical inequalities, with investment in communities building pride in place, supporting high quality skills training, employment and productivity growth, and increasing life chances. Details of the UKSPF Evaluation Strategy (attached) are set out here: UK Shared Prosperity Fund: evaluation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)<\/a>.<\/p> The department has also committed £2.35 billion worth of Town Deals and £830 million of Future High Streets Funding across 170 high streets, town centres and local communities in England via the Towns Fund. Projects are now in delivery, and the funding has already provided a much-needed boost for town centres and local high streets. Details of the Towns Fund Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy (attached) are set out here: Towns Fund monitoring and evaluation strategy<\/a>.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4985", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Swinburne"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Swinburne"}
, "attachment" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1697329/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "Towns Fund monitoring and evaluation strategy HL3427.pdf"}
, "title" : "Towns Fund"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1697329/answer/attachment/2", "fileName" : {"_value" : "UK Shared Prosperity Fund_ evaluation HL3427.pdf"}
, "title" : "UKSPF"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1697329/answer/attachment/3", "fileName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up Fund_ Impact evaluation scoping report HL3427.pdf"}
, "title" : "Levelling Up Scoping report"}
], "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-08T15:16:13.543Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "211"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-03-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Regional Planning and Development: Finance"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of programmes funded under (1) the Levelling Up Fund, (2) the Towns Fund, and (3) the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, in addressing regional socio-economic divides across the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1796", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Taylor of Warwick"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1696746", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1696746/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "