Doncaster council spends millions on B&Bs for homeless

Housing and homelessness charity Shelter said families are being pushed into homelessness and living in "awful" temporary accommodation across the country due to unaffordable rent and lack of social homes.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities figures shows Doncaster council spent a total of £1.4 million on temporary homeless housing in the year to March.

All of last year's spending went towards housing homeless people in bed and breakfasts.

Across England, an estimated £1.6 billion was used by local authorities towards short-term accommodation for people facing homelessness in 2021-22 – up five per cent from the previous year and a 62 per cent real-terms increase from five years ago.

Of last years total expenditure, £407 million went towards bed and breakfasts and hostels. Spending on bed and breakfasts alone has increased seven per cent in real terms since 2016-17.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Homelessness is bad for the economy and it’s even worse for the people whose lives it destroys.

“It defies all logic to shell out over £1.6 billion on grim B&Bs and grotty flats, instead of helping people to keep hold of their home in the first place."

Ms Neate added housing benefit – which assists people who are unemployed, low-income, or on other benefits to pay rent – has been frozen since 2020 "despite private rents rocketing".

She added: "This gaping hole in our country’s safety net is throwing families needlessly into homelessness and trapping them in awful temporary accommodation because they can’t afford private rentals and there are barely any social homes.

"Allowing homelessness to rise unchecked during the cost-of-living crisis, will only cost more in the long run.”

She said housing benefit must be unfrozen so people can better pay rent and added the Government must build "truly affordable" social homes to end homelessness.

A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesperson said it is providing councils with £316 million this year to prevent homelessness.

They added: “Temporary accommodation is a last resort, but a vital lifeline for those at risk of sleeping rough.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Dominic Brown, editor.