The Department for Work and Pensions works closely with Communities and Local Government on a wide range of issues, including the impact of housing benefit (HB) policy on homelessness.
HB enables tenants to pay their rent when they are not working or are living on a low income. This helps to avoid households being evicted from their accommodation as a result of rent arrears and subsequently becoming homeless.
In November last year, the two departments signed a groundbreaking cross-departmental agreement to work together in partnership. The two departments agreed to focus on working together on a number of shared priority outcomes—to ensure full employment and reduced welfare dependency; make Britain a more equal society, promoting equality (including employment equality); reduce levels of poverty and social exclusion, particularly child poverty and poverty among older people; build strong, empowered local communities; tackle worklessness amongst social sector tenants and homeless people, and promote greater independence and well being in later life.
Prevention of homelessness has a key part to play in the achievement of these outcomes.