“The new investment pales by comparison with the scale of housing need...” Kate Henderson of the National Housing Federation, and others, have described the housing package announced in the Spring Spending Review as “transformational”. This is hyperbole. Jules Birch is closer to the mark when he wrote in Inside Housing that “The new investment pales … Continue reading Step up the pressure for 90,000+ social rent homes a year
Category: Temporary Accommodation
Councils need government funding not more debt
News that Newham Borough Council has requested “exceptional financial support” due to “temporary accommodation housing pressures amounting to £100m over three years”, underlines what is at stake in the Budget due on October 30th. The government has been warned by councils that there is a likelihood of more and more of them issuing section 114 … Continue reading Councils need government funding not more debt
The temporary accommodation crisis – “a fertile source of human misery”
Ahead of the Autumn Statement last year an emergency meeting was called by the District Councils Network to highlight the scale of temporary accommodation and the increasing financial pressure it was putting councils under. As a result of that meeting 119 councils signed a letter to the government calling for support. They called for an … Continue reading The temporary accommodation crisis – “a fertile source of human misery”
“Unfreeze the temporary accommodation subsidy”
As we have written before the freeze of the Local Housing Allowance is one of the key factors driving the financial crisis of some councils, especially, though not exclusively, district councils. We reproduce here Emma Taylor-Beal's speech to Worthing council on the temporary accommodation crisis. Emma is the Cabinet member for Housing. Ahead of the … Continue reading “Unfreeze the temporary accommodation subsidy”
Temporary accommodation crisis – Hastings
Hastings council has warned that the spiralling cost of temporary accommodation has placed it at risk of issuing a section 114 notice, which is a declaration that it will not be able to balance its budget. Temporary housing costs increased from £730,000 in 2019 to £4.5m in 2023. That now accounts for a quarter of … Continue reading Temporary accommodation crisis – Hastings
The financial crisis of local government and the housing crisis
"Labour council groups, CLPs and affiliated unions need to raise the alarm and demand that Labour commits to increased funding, both for local government services and for council housing." Will a Labour government come to the rescue of local government? What is it proposing to do to stop the collapse of local authorities and to … Continue reading The financial crisis of local government and the housing crisis
The Temporary Accommodation crisis – Liverpool
Sarah Doyle, Cabinet Member for housing in Liverpool, recently reported on the emergency meeting on Temporary Accommodation in Eastbourne. Councils are warning that the rising cost of temporary accommodation is pushing some councils to the financial brink. For instance, Hastings council recently warned that the cost of temporary accommodation was a major factor in the … Continue reading The Temporary Accommodation crisis – Liverpool
Emergency Accommodation and Homelessness Summit
"the financial and social crisis caused by escalating homelessness and use of emergency accommodation threatens budgets across local government" Councillor Sarah Doyle, Cabinet Member for Housing on Liverpool Council, reports on an emergency meeting on Temporary Accommodation and its dire financial impact on councils. As councils across the country prepare to present options to councillors … Continue reading Emergency Accommodation and Homelessness Summit
Labour Homelessness Campaign launches action on temporary accommodation
By Andrea Gilbert The housing crisis in the UK is set to get worse as 95,000 households, including 120,000 children, are becoming stuck in temporary accommodation. There are many problems with temporary accommodation: overcrowding, repairs, the length of time people are left there and people being put as far as 200 miles away from their … Continue reading Labour Homelessness Campaign launches action on temporary accommodation
Labour Campaign for Council Housing 