cuts to discretionary housing payments for local councils

I knew that the DHP budget was being cut but had not seen this article – it is a real concern,… the other thing I had picked up on is that the money will be paid to local offices in two installments and it is not clear if any underspend in the first 6 months will be carried forward to the second six months- so councils don’t know how to ‘play ‘ it – go easy in the first 6 months in case people need more money as the year goes on or ‘use it or lose it’.

It is difficult to see how the strong government priority to avoid street homelessnessis to be achieved when there are housing payment support systems cuts,  coupled with fears of unemployment from posts made redundant due to the pandemic.