Many constituents have contacted me about the Homelessness Reduction Bill, which I fully support.

I commend the work of my Conservative colleague, Bob Blackman, with the support of the Government, in bringing the Bill to Parliament. The Bill will require councils to provide new homelessness services to all those affected, not just those who are protected under existing legislation.

The Bill will place a duty on councils to help people at risk of homelessness secure accommodation before they are threatened with homelessness. Those who are homeless will be supported for 56 days to help find them accommodation. The Bill will also ensure that other local services refer those who are either homeless or at risk of being homeless to the council's housing teams.

More generally, I am glad that homelessness acceptances are now less than half of what they were during their peak in 2003-04 under the previous Labour Government. Since 2010, councils have prevented over 1 million households from becoming homeless and the Government is now protecting homelessness prevention for councils. This will total £315 million by 2020. It has also increased central funding to tackle homelessness to £139 million over the next four years. This includes targeted funding for rough sleeping.