Local Authority’s £2.5 Million Expenditure on Temporary Homeless Accommodation

A local authority expended £2.5 million during the past year to house individuals experiencing homelessness in bed and breakfasts and various other temporary housing solutions. According to a report issued by Sandwell Council, 220 households are presently residing in temporary accommodation, marking an increase from 44 households recorded in March 2021. Consequently, the Black Country authority’s expenditure has risen by £2.1 million compared to three years prior, with a growing proportion of this sum dedicated to accommodating individuals in bed and breakfasts. A plan to acquire as many as 100 rented properties, aimed at reducing the council’s dependence on bed and breakfasts, is scheduled for discussion by its cabinet on Wednesday. In recent years, Sandwell Council has transformed some of its own properties into temporary housing, a measure that has resulted in savings of £1.2 million, as stated in the cabinet report. Nevertheless, the authority’s spending on temporary accommodation reached £2.5 million in the most recent financial year, an increase from £400,000 in 2021. Approximately £500 is expended weekly, on average, for each bed and breakfast room; housing benefits contribute roughly one-fifth of this cost, with the council funding the outstanding £400. This initiative to secure private rented accommodation would incur a cost of approximately £315 per week for Sandwell Council, as opposed to £400, thereby generating annual savings of £442,000 for the authority, according to the report. This information was compiled by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, an entity that reports on local councils and other public service bodies. For further updates, follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.