Chartered Institute of Housing 2020: Housing Minister's speech

Today’s speech from the Housing Minister at the Chartered Institute’s Housing 2020 Festival

Homelessness and evictions ban

Nearly 15,000 vulnerable people, including rough sleepers and the homeless, were housed in emergency accommodation at the start of this pandemic.

And we are building on these achievements through funding longer-term accommodation – 3,300 homes this year alone – along with tailored support so as few people as possible return to life on the streets.

Last month, we also announced additional protections for renters with a further stay on all housing possession proceedings in court.

That means that no action to progress new or existing claims for possession can be progressed for several weeks.

Thanks to new legislation we brought forward in August, landlords are also required to give 6 months’ notice to evict any tenant (private or social) – up from the 3 months required by the original provisions in the Coronavirus Act – except in the most serious of cases.

We also recognise that there are some occasions in which it is right that landlords should be able to start progressing cases quicker.