Councils spending five times more housing homeless in B&Bs than a decade ago

Councils in England are spending at least five times more on housing homeless people in bed-and-breakfasts than they were a decade ago, official figures show.

A rising number of homeless people are being placed into B&Bs because of a shortage of suitable housing, the Local Government Association (LGA) says.

Councils spent £142m housing families and homeless individuals in B&Bs in 2019-20, according to data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

This is up from £26.7m in 2010-11.

An increase in the overall tally of people needing accommodation is also a factor. Provisional government figures also show that there were 10,510 households in B&Bs in the last three months of last year - more than four times the number a decade ago (2,310).

The LGA, which said the figures underlined the “desperate need” for more social housing, is calling for councils to be given further powers and resources to build 100,000 social homes for rent each year.

David Renard, the association’s housing spokesman, said: “Sadly, these figures reflect the scale of the housing challenges our country faces.

“Councils will only use bed-and-breakfasts as a last resort, but the severe lack of suitable housing means they now have no choice.

“This is hugely disruptive to families with children, and the rising demand for support has come with soaring costs for councils.”

Hotels left empty because of coronavirus restrictions were used by homelessness services to house those on the streets.

However, this week new figures showed that rough sleeping in London had risen by 35 per cent in five years.

Cllr Renard added: “With the right funding and freedoms, councils can help government achieve its ambitions for our national recovery from the pandemic.

“Giving councils the powers to build council housing on the scale required would go a significant way towards reducing homelessness and the need to place households in bed-and-breakfasts.”

The LGA is also calling for the government to bring forward its pledge to end “no-fault” evictions, and maintain a temporary £20-a-week Universal Credit increase, which is due to end in September.