AQW 52519/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 21/09/2026
Answered On Date: 05/10/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any action he has taken to ensure greater funding certainty for organisations delivering homelessness prevention services, following his undertaking in December 2024 to address month-to-month funding arrangements.

Answer:

In 2025/26, I ensured that upon confirmation of the budget in June, the Housing Executive was able to issue letters of offer to funded organisations for the full financial year.

In addition to the £4.3m available for community prevention activity, I also introduced a ringfenced allocation of £2.5m for strategic homelessness prevention.

At present, no Executive Budget has been agreed for 2026/27. In the interim, Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit allocations based on 2025/26 opening baselines have been issued to delivery partners and Arm’s Length Bodies, including the Housing Executive, to cover the period April to December 2026 and support the continuation of key programmes, including homelessness prevention services.

Despite the absence of an agreed budget, ringfenced funding for Strategic Prevention has been maintained within NIHE’s interim allocation for 2026/27. While funding for Community Prevention and Support Initiatives is not ringfenced, I have ensured that it has been protected at the same level as in 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. However, the First Minister has not allowed this on the agenda.