The extra cash boost will be used for councils to step in early to help prevent evictions and secure accommodation for those about to be made homeless.
The money will be targeted at 295 areas that are facing the highest risks of homelessness through housing costs and rent arrears.
The cash will be given to councils to enable them to step in early and keep people in their homes before eviction notices are served, or support people off the streets into accommodation.
The Government said this emergency funding means fewer people reaching crisis point and ending up on the streets, which will free up resources and ease demand on social services, healthcare, and emergency housing teams.
According to Government figures, 146,360 households turned to their council for help last year alone, with many on the brink of eviction through no fault of their own, whether from a sudden job loss, a health emergency, an unexpected bill, or a relationship breakdown.
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Rushanara Ali, minister for homelessness, said: “No one should be forced live in constant fear of losing their home, and too many people are being pushed to the brink of homelessness as a direct consequence of the system we’ve inherited.
“That’s why I’m providing an extra £30m in emergency support for councils – taking real, immediate action to stop people falling through the cracks, stay in their homes, and help them rebuild their lives.
“Our Plan for Change is tackling the worst housing crisis in a generation by delivering the biggest boost in social and affordable housing in a generation, fixing the broken rental market and getting us back on track to end homelessness once and for all.”
Extra homeless support comes as the Government’s landmark Renters’ Rights Bill remains on track to become law this year. The law will abolish Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions, which, ministers say, are one of the leading causes of homelessness.
The new law will also stop rental bidding wars for tenancies and empower tenants to challenge unreasonable rent increases.
