I firmly believe that just one person without a roof over their head is one too many, and it is vitally important that the most vulnerable people in society, including homeless people and rough sleepers, are helped to get their lives back on track. The Government has a strong record of preventing and relieving homelessness. Across England, since 2010, there have been over 1. 6 million cases of homelessness prevention and relief. In April 2018, the Homelessness Reduction Act, the most ambitious legislative reform in tackling homelessness in decades, came into force. The Act, supported by both Shelter and Crisis, requires councils to provide early support to people at risk of homelessness.
 
Furthermore, over £1.2 billion has been allocated through to 2020 towards tackling homelessness and rough sleeping, including £28 million for three Housing First pilots. These pilots will support some of the most entrenched rough sleepers off the streets, providing them with stable accommodation and intensive wrap-around support. The impact of this approach will inform any wider roll out of the scheme. I am confident that the implementation of these radical solutions will reduce levels of homelessness across our country, helping to achieve the aim of halving rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminating it altogether by 2027.