What does this mean?
We want to provide a greater range of affordable, sustainable housing options so that households in crisis do not have to rely on emergency accommodation, especially costly and unsuitable bed and breakfast placements. This means investing in a variety of housing solutions, from permanent affordable homes and supported housing to private rented options secured through landlord partnerships. Our aim is to reduce the length of time households spend in temporary accommodation, improve the quality of housing solutions offered, and ensure that every placement meets residents’ needs in terms of location, security, and suitability.

Challenges to achieving this goal:

• Limited availability of affordable homes across all tenures, particularly family-sized properties.
• High private rental costs and increasing competition for properties, making it harder to secure long-term tenancies.
• Ongoing reliance on Bed and Breakfast in emergency situations due to a lack of alternative short-term accommodation.
• Constraints in funding and availability of land for developing new temporary or move-on accommodation.
• The need to ensure any solution is tailored to the household’s support needs, not just their housing need.

What we have achieved and will build on:

• Secured additional temporary accommodation units through the use of commuted sums and partnerships with Registered Providers.
• Collaborated with private landlords to increase access to the private rented sector via tenancy deposit loans, rent guarantees, and landlord engagement.
• Reduced Bed and Breakfast placements for families and ensured that, where unavoidable, stays are kept as short as possible.
• Supported the delivery of new affordable housing in partnership with the Planning Service and Registered Providers.
• Strengthened pathways from temporary accommodation into settled housing, including support services to help households maintain their tenancy.

Looking ahead to 2030, we will:

• Deliver new temporary and move-on accommodation schemes within the district, designed to provide stability and minimise disruption to households.
• Expand partnerships with landlords and property owners to secure a pipeline of private rented homes for households at risk of homelessness.
• Prioritise the development of affordable and supported housing that meets identified local needs.
• Continue to work proactively to keep Bed and Breakfast use to an absolute minimum, focusing on prevention and rapid rehousing approaches.

By increasing the range and supply of accommodation, we can provide better outcomes for households in housing crisis, reduce costs, and ensure that fewer residents face the uncertainty of temporary or unsuitable housing.