Council to put more than £700,000 towards helping the homeless in Wellingborough

Members of Wellingborough Council’s resources committee agreed to the funding request at a meeting on Wednesday.

It comes after figures show the number of households in temporary accommodation in the borough jumped from 27 at the end of 2016 to 92 by the end of November this year.

A report prepared ahead of the meeting said: “Homelessness is increasing sharply both nationally and locally.

“The council has seen the number of homeless applications and acceptances increase sharply in 2017.

“As a result of this increase the council has had to find more temporary accommodation.

“At the end of 2016 the council had 27 households in temporary accommodation.

“This had increased to 92 by the end of November 2017.

“A capital bid has been submitted for £725K (£325K in 2017-18 and £400K in 2018-19) which will aim to reduce the revenue financial pressures arising from the increases in homelessness acceptances and emergency accommodation stays.”

The recommendation for councillors was to agree to the £725,000 capital budget request for a temporary accommodation mitigation fund and it was agreed as per the recommendation.

Homeless households can apply to their local authority for housing assistance.

Households are accepted if they are eligible, unintentionally homeless, and in a priority need group.

Priority need groups include households with dependent children, pregnant women and vulnerable individuals.

Local authorities have a duty to secure accommodation for statutorily homeless households.

Households may be placed in temporary accommodation while their application is in progress, or after being accepted as homeless but while waiting for secure accommodation to become available.