West Suffolk Council data reveals increased spend on temporary housing to support people who are homeless

The cost of providing temporary housing for those in need has increased by about £200,000 in West Suffolk over the last three years, council figures have revealed.

West Suffolk Council, which supports those at risk of being made homeless or who have lost their home, said part of the rise related to demand.

The other relates to the fact that whilst the council is carrying out work to improve its temporary accommodation, it has placed people in nightly-paid accommodation – B&Bs, hotels – and that in turn has had an impact on the costs.

Over the past 12 months, West Suffolk Council has invested more than £1.2million to improve existing temporary housing as well as to increase the overall amount it can access.

Across England, spending on temporary accommodation by council homelessness services rose to more than £1.7billion in the year to March, with B&B costs up by a third.

West Suffolk Council’s temporary housing costs have increased from £577,640.18 in 2021/22 to £782,629.53 for this financial year up to the end of October, figures provided to SuffolkNews show.

Broken down, nightly-paid accommodation was £499,653.25, which is already £133, 201.22 more this financial year so far, up to October, than the previous full year.

On why temporary housing costs have gone up, a West Suffolk Council spokesman said: “Part of the increase relates to demand and the other relates to significant works to properties that have been carried out this year.

“We have carried out extensive renovation and energy efficiency works on a number of our temporary accommodation units. This means that people need to be placed in more expensive non-council owned property.

“This is a necessary arrangement to ensure that we have good quality housing.”

The images show major improvements the council has carried out at one of its properties, located in Bury St Edmunds, used to support families.

It has increased the kitchen and dining area to ensure people have access to good facilities and improved access for people with mobility issues with a wet room, larger bedroom and a wide door entrance with wheelchair access and railings.

The building has also been made more sustainable through solar panels and an air source heat pump, so it is both cheaper to run and has less of an environmental impact.

Cllr Richard O’Driscoll, cabinet member for housing at West Suffolk Council, said: “Sadly, there are families who are homeless and who will need our support not just now, but in 2024 and beyond.

“I can only imagine how much stress and anxiety these families have been through already. I think the least we can do, is ensure that their stay, however temporary that may be, is as pleasant and welcoming an experience as it can be.”

He said the investment in temporary accommodation was ‘all part of the wider work that we are doing to help people who are at risk or who have become homeless, and to support people through the continuing cost-of-living crisis’.

The figures provided to SuffolkNews also show this council service is costing the taxpayer more, at £1,371,915.90 for 2023/24 up to the end of October compared to £1,157,216.94 for 2021/22 – a rise of £214,698.96.

The council spokesman said: “The service costs have increased. The spreadsheet shows the areas that have increased includes staff and accommodation costs.

“The service remains affordable through use of income, grant and the council’s service budget.”

Income includes housing benefit contributions towards B&B accommodation and temporary housing rents, while Government grant funding also helps pay for the service.

The number of households in temporary accommodation in West Suffolk at the end of October was just under 100.