Response: Business Rates Retention

Local spending on homelessness prevention must reflect the needs of the area. The number of households found to be homeless increased by 9% in England in 2011/12 to nearly 78,000. But at this time of rising demand, homelessness services are already facing significant cuts. The rolling of Homelessness Prevention Grant into the Business Rates Retention scheme must not result in a further reduction of funding for local homelessness services.