Latest news with #temporaryaccommodation
BBC News
17 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Slough council spends £32m on temporary housing
A council that saw its bill for temporary accommodation climb to £32m last year has said it is in the "eye of the storm" for housing Borough Council, which effectively went bankrupt in 2021, has so far only been able to claim back £20m of the bill from the government. The authority's housing director said about 50 people per week were approaching it seeking temporary housing.A government spokesperson said it was committing £1bn to "prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation". The Local Government Association said councils were facing a combined £76m shortfall in temporary accommodation budgets across the council's bill has risen sharply each year since 2021, when its spending on housing families in need of immediate shelter was about £ accommodation, such as hotels, hostels or caravans, is organised by local authorities for those who lack a permanent home. Pat Hayes, council executive director of housing and properties, said the issue was a national problem, compounded by the town's proximity to London. "At the moment we're getting 50 people a week knocking on our door, asking for housing," he said."These are all people being evicted from the private rented sector because they can't pay the bills or the landlords don't want to rent to people anymore, they want to sell, people moving from West London out to Slough."We're right in the eye of that storm as somewhere that is a little bit cheaper than London and considerably cheaper than the rest of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire."It's going to need a national solution from government."The Housing Benefit subsidy used to pay councils back in full for money spent on temporary housing. However, in 2011 the subsidy was changed to be no longer adjusted for inflation, leaving some councils out of pocket. Currently Slough council's gap between the money spent and the money reclaimed for the 24/25 tax year is £12m. It is still in the process of claiming the remaining money back and has two years to claim. A government spokesperson said: "The levels of homelessness in this country are unacceptable."That's why we are making a £1bn investment in homelessness and rough sleeping services this year - a £233 million boost from last year - to prevent rises in the number of families in temporary accommodation and help to prevent rough sleeping."We continue to keep the rates used for Housing Benefit subsidy under review and are exploring the impacts of subsidy rates on local authorities." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Number of households in homeless accommodation up by nearly 20%
The number of households living in temporary accommodation for the homeless in Reading is up by nearly 20 per cent. New statistics from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have revealed how many households in Reading are living in temporary accommodation. Temporary accommodation in this context is provided by the local authority for a limited time for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. It is a short-term solution while permanent housing is sort and is itself classed as a form of homelessness. Newly published data for the first quarter of 2025 reveals that the number of households staying in temporary accommodation in Reading because they are homeless or at risk of homelessness has gone up by nearly 20 per cent. More: Body found in river is missing man from 2023, police believe At the end of March, 402 households in Reading were using temporary accommodation, up from 341 at the same time last year. That means an additional 61 households have qualified for temporary accommodation already this year, representing an increase of 18 per cent compared to the 2024 figure. Of the 402 households, 299 are with children - a whopping 74 per cent. This again is an increase on last year, when 224 out of the 341 households were with children, or 66 per cent. More: Business forced to pay THOUSANDS for illegal signs An additional 75 households with children are in temporary accommodation compared to the same time last year, an increase of 33% on the 2024 figure. The types of temporary accommodation households are placed in varies from hostels to shared houses, properties belonging to private landlords, or council-owned accommodation. Broadly matching the trends from last year, the most common type of temporary accommodation in use in Reading is local authority or housing association stock housing, which accounted for 230 households, or 57.2 per cent. More: Two given emergency care after kitchen fire in town centre highrise The second most common was self-contained, privately managed accommodation paid for on a per-night basis, which accounted for 152 households, or 37.8 per cent. This comes as the number of households in temporary accommodation across England has climbed to a new record high. The number in England this year is about 131,140, an increase on last year's figure of 117,350 and more than double what it was a decade ago in March 2015, when it was only 64,710 households. More: Man 'sets car on fire' with woman and teen girl inside in suspected arson The number of children in temporary accommodation is also at a record high nationally at 169,050, up from 151,540 in 2024 and at its the highest since records began in 1998. John Glenton, executive director at the charity Riverside, which provides accommodation for people affected by homelessness, said the numbers were 'greatly concerning'. He added: 'It is particularly disappointing to see the number of additional homeless children living in temporary accommodation continuing to increase so rapidly..."
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Temporary housing plan for student flats in Leicester approved
Plans to convert an empty seven-storey block of student flats in Leicester into temporary accommodation have been given the building in York Street, which comprises of 134 self-contained flats, has stood vacant since to turn the building into 118 units to "alleviate some of the short term homeless need" in Leicester were approved by the city council on Wednesday.A report said the flats would offer temporary accommodation for single people and a limited number of couples who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. All referrals will be made by the authority, and, according to the report, occupants will be offered tailored support to meet their needs and to help them move towards permanent Burgin, Leicester City Council's director of housing, previously said: "We don't want people to be in unsuitable B&B accommodation for any length of time, but with increasing numbers of people facing homelessness we have few options available to us."This building will provide good quality units with cooking and washing facilities which are not available in hotels and B&Bs, and will house people for between three and 18 months before they move on to permanent accommodation."
The Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Workers haul beds into posh 4-star London hotel set to house hundreds of asylum seekers – as protesters gather outside
WORKERS have been spotted hauling beds into a posh London hotel that is set to house hundreds of asylum seekers. Labourers wheeled in the new furniture at the four-star Britannia International Hotel in Canary Wharf this morning, following an anti-migrant protest outside the property last night. 6 6 6 Around 150 activists had surrounded the hotel - in London's eastern financial centre - last night after false reports claimed asylum seekers were being transferred there from another migrant hotel in Epping. While the Home Office later confirmed that migrants were not being transferred, it has been revealed that the hotel - where rooms cost up to £460 a night - will be repurposed as temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. A spokesman for the Tower Hamlets Council said: 'We are aware of the Government's decision to use the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf to provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers. 'It is important that the Government ensures that there is a full package of support for those staying at the hotel. 'We are working with the Home Office and partners to make sure that all necessary safety and safeguarding arrangements are in place.' This morning, workers were seen wheeling beds and mattresses into the hotel - which has close to 500 rooms. Some 50 police officers were drafted in to supervise the march on Tuesday, which at times descended into shouting matches with a small counter-protest of five people. One held a sign reading: 'Safe and legal routes now'. The small counter-march was eventually escorted away by cops. Several passing motorists honked their horns in support, though some shouted 'Free Palestine' out their windows. Among those at the protest yesterday was Reform's chief whip Lee Anderson MP, who said in an online video: 'Absolutely furious. This hotel here… it must cost a couple of hundred quid a night to stay there. 'Most normal people in this country would not be able to afford to come and stay here for a weekend, but we have illegals coming here.' Stopped by reporters, Mr Anderson insisted he was only passing through the area by chance. The protest had been sparked by social media rumours that asylum seekers had been moved into the four-star hotel. It has also been claimed that some tourists had their bookings at the hotel cancelled with little notice. Rooms at the hotel, the Britannia brand's biggest and flagship residence which opened in 1992, were last night unavailable to book online. The Home Office said migrants had not been moved from the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, which was at the centre of clashes between yobs and cops last week. Essex Police Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper branded yobs, who left eight officers injured during the clashes, as selfish, mindless thugs. Police vehicles were smashed by yobs who climbed on them and there was damage to the building. More to follow... For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun. 6 6 6
The Independent
22-07-2025
- General
- The Independent
Number of households in England in temporary accommodation hits new record high
The number of households in temporary accommodation in England has climbed to a new record high, despite a drop in families living in bed and breakfast lodgings. Some 131,140 households were in temporary accommodation – a form of homelessness – at the end of March, according to data published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG). This is up from 117,350 a year earlier and is more than double the total a decade ago in March 2015, when it stood at 64,710. The number of children in temporary accommodation stood at 169,050 in March, up year on year from 151,540 and also the highest since records began in 1998. By law, bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) are meant to be used only as temporary accommodation in an emergency and for no longer than six weeks. Some 2,300 households with children had been living in B&Bs for more than six weeks as of March 31 – though this is down from 3,240 a year earlier. There were 1,170 households with children who had been in B&Bs for more than six months at the end of March, up slightly year on year (1,080) but down on December 2024 (1,510). John Glenton, executive director at the charity Riverside, which provides accommodation for people affected by homelessness, said the numbers were 'greatly concerning'. He added: 'It is particularly disappointing to see the number of additional homeless children living in temporary accommodation continuing to increase so rapidly, with 17,510 more children year on year. 'However, the number of homeless households moved out of temporary accommodation into social housing has increased by almost an eighth over the past 12 months compared to the previous year. 'We know moving families out of temporary accommodation and into a social rent home works. 'We are pleased to see the Government fund the delivery of 180,000 new social rent homes, but there are also opportunities to better use the existing stock of social housing.' The data also shows 18,140 households needed help for homelessness in the year to March after being required to leave Home Office asylum support accommodation, more than three times the 6,010 in the previous 12 months. The number of these households at risk of homelessness and therefore needing prevention help from councils stood at 4,620 in 2024/25, up from 2,160 in 2023/24. A further 13,520 of these households were assessed as being already homeless and therefore owed a relief duty from the local council, up from 3,850 in the previous year. Mairi MacRae, director of campaigns and policy at the housing charity Shelter, said: 'While their classmates are excited for the holidays ahead, over 169,000 children face a long summer stuck in damaging and insecure temporary accommodation. 'This is the devastating result of a severe shortage of social rent homes and inadequate levels of housing benefit that continue to trap families in homelessness. 'As an immediate relief for struggling families, the Government must unfreeze local housing allowance in the autumn budget, so it covers at least the bottom third of local rents. 'But there's only one way to ensure everyone has access to a safe and secure home in the long run, and that's social rent homes.'
