STORY
Council expenditure on temporary accommodation increased by 1,077 per cent in real terms between 2011/12 and 2024/25, according to analysis by the Local Government Association. The organisation said the rise reflected a worsening homelessness crisis and severe shortages of affordable housing.
Authorities are increasingly using hotels, bed and breakfasts and other costly placements for households owed homelessness duties. Councils have warned that the spending is placing unsustainable pressure on budgets while often providing unsuitable conditions for families.
The LGA has called for a long-term plan covering affordable housing, welfare support and homelessness prevention. It said councils needed sufficient funding and greater access to permanent homes rather than continued dependence on expensive emergency accommodation.