Housing Minister Grant Shapps this week chaired the first cross government meeting aimed at tackling homelessness.

The Prime Minister had tasked Ministers in eight government departments with stepping up action to address the issue. On Wednesday, Ministers met for the first time as the Homelessness Working Group, to see how policies across their departments can help tackle the complex problems that cause people to lose their home.

The Ministers making up the new Homelessness Working Group are:

• Grant Shapps MP (Con) - Department for Communities and Local Government (housing and homelessness) (Chair)
• Andrew Robathan MP (Con) - Ministry of Defence (welfare of veterans)
• John Hayes MP (Con) - Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (adult skills)
• Paul Burstow MP (LD) - Department of Health (health and care services)
• Lord David Freud (Con) - Department for Work and Pensions (housing benefit)
• Crispin Blunt MP (Con) - Ministry of Justice (criminal justice)
• James Brokenshire (Con) – Home Office (crime prevention)
• Tim Loughton MP (Con) - Department for Education (children and youth services)

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