Speaking in the House of Commons today in a debate on Supported Housing, Emma Hardy MP called on the government to get Supported Housing funding right.
Supported Housing organisations are helping the most vulnerable people in our society, old people, disabled people, people with alcohol and drug dependency.
The Government had previously planned to cap funding at the local housing allowance. The allowance for a 1 bedroom or shared accommodation in Hull is £69.73, almost a third of the Local Housing Allowance in Central London. Labour had pressed the government to drop these plans.
At Prime Ministers Questions, it was announced that the Government would follow Labour’s plans and drop the Local Housing Allowance cap. The Government will make an announcement on how it will fund supported housing going forward. Emma will follow the announcements closely and push the government to make sure they get the funding formula right.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Emma said: “During conference recess I held a series of events in my constituency called the Big conversation and I was pleased to visit an open day on supported housing at the Salvation Army Hostel in Hull called William Booth House. There were also representatives from Emmaus, the Hull Resettlement Project and other local providers.
“The message I kept hearing from each and every supported housing organisation I spoke to is that the uncertainty over the future of supported housing funding is extremely worrying and that if the government gets the funding formula wrong, it could mean that every organisation in Hull would be at risk of closure.
“Although it’s great that the Prime Minister is giving into Labour Party pressure and abandoning the Government’s plans to cap housing benefit at Local Housing Allowance level, the Devil will be in the detail and I will be pushing the Government to make sure they get it right.”