Homelessness
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the number of instances of councils not meeting responsibilities under section 198 of the Housing Act 1996 by not responding since 2020.
Answered by Alison McGovern
The Government does not collect any data on the number of instances in which a council does not meet their responsibilities under section 198 of the Housing Act 1996.Where there are disputes between the notifying authority and the notified authority over which authority should be responsible for the applicant, the Homelessness (Decisions on Referrals) Order 1998 sets out a process to resolve the dispute. In England, the Local Government Association will typically mediate between the two authorities. As such, the Local Government Association has issued its own guidance for authorities for invoking this disputes procedure and resolving any disputes, which can be accessed below.
To support councils with carrying out their homelessness duties this Government has increased funding for homelessness services by £316 million to a total of more than £1 billion in 2025/26. Local authorities can use this funding to support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in their area.
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