AQW 53204/22-27 Written question to the Minister for Communities

To ask the Minister for Communities to detail whether multi-year funding arrangements for homelessness prevention projects through the Northern Ireland Housing Executive are included in the budget.

Asked by Kellie Armstrong MLA on 28 September 2026

  • Answered
  • Written
Tabled
28 September 2026
Answer due by
13 October 2026
Answered
13 October 202615 days after tabling
Department
Department for Communities
Priority question
No

Answer

The draft budget proposals for 2026/2030 reflected an extremely constrained budget position, falling substantially short of requirements to tackle homelessness over the budget period.

In the absence of an agreed budget, I have maintained ringfenced funding for Strategic Homelessness Prevention within the Housing Executive's interim allocation for 2026/27. While funding for Community Prevention and Support Initiatives is not ringfenced, it has been protected at the same level as 2025/26.

I also circulated an Executive paper seeking additional funding to ensure homelessness services, including community and strategic prevention initiatives, can be adequately and sustainably funded. Disappointingly, this has not been agreed.

Official sources