Homeless drain council coffers

7:11pm Monday 27th November 2000

A RISE in the number of homeless people put into bed and breakfast accommodation has cost the council an extra £70,000.

This amounts to more than 30 percent of the total in its homelessness budget.

The council had put aside £259,000 to pay for bed and breakfast accommodation for homeless families and asylum seekers, but despite sticking to government guidelines on who to assist, the increased number of applications meant the council has had find money from savings elsewhere in its budget to cover the shortfall.

Council officers are now predicting there will be an even greater shortfall next year if the problem is not dealt with immediately.

The council is to cut bed and breakfast costs by finding other ways to house the homeless.

The average cost of bed and breakfast accommodation per household is about £270 a week of which the council has to pay about £100.

A new scheme in partnership with local housing associations will give the council access to more properties and it also plans to rent more private properties.

Council officers say most homelessness is due to family disputes and private tenants coming to the end of their tenancies.