Councils predict rise in homelessness

In a survey by the Local Government Association (LGA), 90% of councils said they believed reforms such as the Right to Buy extension will lead to a drop in the number of council homes in their area.

A further 78% predicted this will lead to a rise in homelessness, while 80% anticipated a rise in demand for temporary accommodation and 81% said their housing waiting lists will increase.

Among the 60 stock-holding councils which answered the survey, 58% said housing benefit spending will increase, a likely consequence of more people being forced into the private rented sector.

The survey, which was carried out in January and published last week, comes as the Housing and Planning Bill introducing the reforms makes its way through the House of Lords.

The LGA is calling for amendments to the bill to ensure councils retain 100% of receipts from any council homes they sell, and gain greater flexibilities to replace homes sold through the council Right to Buy scheme.

Peter Box, housing spokesperson at the LGA, said: “Local authorities will be forced to sell existing council homes and will struggle to replace them, and many are warning this will combine to drastically reduce the number of homes available in local communities.”

Figures published by the Department for Communities and Local Government last week show the number of people accepted by councils as homeless increased by 6% last year.

The survey was sent to lead officers in 166 stock-holding councils.