Autumn Budget 2024: £233m announced to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping

Ms Reeves said: “Madam deputy speaker, to repair our public services, we also need to work alongside our mayors and local leaders. 

“We will deliver a significant real-terms funding increase for local governments next year, including £1.3bn of additional grant funding to deliver essential services, with at least £600m in grant funding for social care and £230m to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.”

She also confirmed that Greater Manchester and the West Midlands will be the first mayoral authorities to receive integrated settlements from next year, “giving mayors meaningful control of the funding for their local areas”. 

Ahead of the Budget, Ms Reeves confirmed a £500m top-up for the Affordable Homes Programme and a five-year rent settlement for social landlords.

The chancellor also announced that the government’s Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments will be extended, with an additional £1bn funding from next year.

Ms Reeves said that the extensions “would help those facing financial hardship with the cost of essentials”.

The Household Support Fund allows councils to help families via foodbanks, warm spaces and food vouchers. It will now run until the end of March 2025.

It has been given a £421m extension, which the government said “gives certainty to local authorities across England over the winter months”.

The rest of the £1bn will be allocated to Discretionary Housing Payments, which are available for anyone entitled to housing benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit who needs further help with housing costs.

More to follow…