PFD report

Paul Williams · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 21 Jan 2025•Manchester South

Report record

Published report and response evidence

This page connects the concerns raised in this report with statements found in recipients’ published responses. A link shows a clear evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

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Concerns
1

Raised in this report

Recipients
1

Named on the report

Responses found
1

Of 1 recipient

Stated actions
7

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Source document

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

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Concerns and recipient responses

Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

Concerns raised1

  1. Delays in providing suitable accommodation for priority homeless families
    Part of recurring concern: Failure to secure timely suitable alternative accommodation for vulnerable people
Responses linked to these concerns

Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

Actions described in response An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.4

  1. Action

    Provide £1.2 billion through the Local Authority Housing Fund for local authorities to acquire and create homes for families at risk of homelessness.

    Stated by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 21 January 2025.
  2. Action

    Work with 20 local authorities through Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots to test approaches and initiate more suitable accommodation for homeless families.

    Stated by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 21 January 2025.
  3. Action

    Remind Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council to act early under the Homelessness Code of Guidance to prevent households reaching crisis situations.

    Stated by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 21 January 2025.

Respondent positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when it does not describe a specific action.1

  1. Position

    Local authorities, rather than the department, are responsible for assessing homelessness applications and providing suitable accommodation and support.

    Stated by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Delays in providing suitable accommodation for priority homeless families

Wider context from the report

“The inquest heard that Paul Williams was a hard working family man in employment. He and his family had been evicted from their privately rented accommodation and became homeless. They were given a period of 2 weeks to leave the property and find alternative accommodation. Whilst looking for accommodation the family was forced to live in separate locations. In his case that included living in a vehicle in the week. The inquest was told that the family was a priority case but a shortage of public housing meant that in total they had to wait almost 3 months before suitable accommodation became available. The evidence before the inquest was that the housing situation including the eviction, the homelessness and need to live separately whilst waiting for suitable accommodation to become available had a significant impact on his mental health and contributed to his deteriorating condition. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Failure to secure timely suitable alternative accommodation for vulnerable people.

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Provide £1.2 billion through the Local Authority Housing Fund for local authorities to acquire and create homes for families at risk of homelessness.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The supply of temporary accommodation is extremely challenging nationwide. MHCLG administers the Local Authority Housing Fund, which is providing £1.2bn to local authorities to acquire and create homes for families at risk of homelessness and will create over 7,000 affordable homes for vulnerable families.”

Source location

Response from Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Page 4 · response
Published 21 January 2025

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Work with 20 local authorities through Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots to test approaches and initiate more suitable accommodation for homeless families.

Verbatim wording from the response

“Additionally, MHCLG is also working with 20 local authorities through the new programme of Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots to test innovative approaches and kickstart new initiatives to provide more suitable accommodation for homeless families.”

Source location

Response from Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Page 4 · response
Published 21 January 2025

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Remind Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council to act early under the Homelessness Code of Guidance to prevent households reaching crisis situations.

Verbatim wording from the response

“I am sorry that steps were not taken to offer and provide more suitable accommodation before the family faced this stage. I am writing to SMBC to remind them of this part of the code and the need to take sufficient action early enough to prevent households from being placed in a crisis situation by remaining until a possession order or bailiff warrant is issued.”

Source location

Response from Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Page 2 · response
Published 21 January 2025

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Deliver 1.5 million new homes by the end of the Parliament, including increased social and affordable housing.

Verbatim wording from the response

“This government is committed to delivering 1.5 million new homes by the end of this Parliament, including the biggest increase in social housing and affordable housebuilding in a generation. In October 2024 and again in February 2025, we announced additional funding for the Affordable Homes Programme, which will build more social and affordable new homes, including Social Rent homes.”

Source location

Response from Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Page 4 · response
Published 21 January 2025

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Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Local authorities, rather than the department, are responsible for assessing homelessness applications and providing suitable accommodation and support.

Verbatim wording from the response

“My department is clear that local authorities must step in and assist households when they have received a section 21 notice and do so in a timely way. My department is responsible for the statutory framework that governs homelessness. The Housing Act 1996 Part 7 sets out the duties local housing authorities have towards homeless households, including the responsibilities for assessment, accommodation, and support. The Housing Act makes clear that a household is considered threatened with homelessness if they receive a section 21 notice which expires within 56 days and as a consequence is owed various duties under that Act.”

Source location

Response from Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Page 2 · response
Published 21 January 2025

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Other statements in published responses

These actions and other statements could not be clearly connected to one concern in this report.

Recipient-stated actions An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.3

  1. 1

    Introduce the Renters’ Rights Bill to increase private renters’ security and stability.

    Stated by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 21 January 2025.
  2. 2

    Chair an Inter-Ministerial Group developing a long-term strategy to end homelessness.

    Stated by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 21 January 2025.
  3. 3

    Increase homelessness-services funding by £233 million for 2025/26, including increased Homelessness Prevention Grant funding.

    Stated by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 21 January 2025.

Recipient positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when they do not describe a specific action.1

  1. 1

    The eviction did not provide only two weeks’ notice: the section 21 notice gave at least two months, followed by court processes.

    Stated by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Introduce the Renters’ Rights Bill to increase private renters’ security and stability.

Verbatim wording from the response

“On 11 September 2024, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) introduced the Renters’ Rights Bill into Parliament to transform the way the private rented sector”

Source location

Response from Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Page 2 · response
Published 21 January 2025

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Chair an Inter-Ministerial Group developing a long-term strategy to end homelessness.

Verbatim wording from the response

“To ensure this mission is being driven across government, I am chairing an Inter-Ministerial Group focused on developing a long-term strategy to get us back on track to ending homelessness.”

Source location

Response from Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Page 4 · response
Published 21 January 2025

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Increase homelessness-services funding by £233 million for 2025/26, including increased Homelessness Prevention Grant funding.

Verbatim wording from the response

“In recognition of the scale of the challenge and the priority this government is giving to reducing homelessness, funding for homelessness services is increasing this year by £233 million compared to 2024/25, bringing the total spend to nearly £1 billion in 2025/26. This includes increasing funding to the Homelessness Prevention Grant to assist local authorities with preventing homelessness in the first place.”

Source location

Response from Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Page 4 · response
Published 21 January 2025

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Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

The eviction did not provide only two weeks’ notice: the section 21 notice gave at least two months, followed by court processes.

Verbatim wording from the response

“In your report you stated that the housing situation, in particular being given two weeks' notice to find alternative accommodation had a significant impact on Mr Williams’ mental health and contributed to his deteriorating condition.”

Source location

Response from Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Page 1 · response
Published 21 January 2025

Open published response
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Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026