Here's how much Calderdale Council spent on bed and breakfast accommodation for homeless people last year
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Figures show that £1,179,854 was spent on keeping homeless people in bed and breakfast's during the 2023-24 financial year by the council.
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Hide AdThe council said that 1,528 individual people were accommodated in 687 rooms, but were unable to provide names of the accommodation used.
The Courier reported recently that Calderdale is facing unprecedented demand for social housing due to a rise in homelessness.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Action and Housing, Coun Scott Patient, said: “Working with local partner organisations, we do all we can to prevent homelessness and help those affected, from providing access to safe and warm accommodation to supporting people to recover and rebuild their lives.
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Hide Ad“There can be many reasons why people sleep rough or become homeless and sadly like many other areas across the country we have seen an increase in the number of people requiring support.
“The causes of homelessness are complex and there is no one solution. We work closely with partner agencies and across Council services to tackle the issue. This includes recent investment in an increase in frontline support and work with developers, home builders and the rental sector to address the need for more suitable housing.
“Our priority is always the people involved, and sometimes it is necessary for us to use temporary accommodation, such as bed and breakfast properties. This is always a last resort and we are reviewing our temporary accommodation requirements to minimise the use of bed and breakfast options.
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Hide Ad“We are also one of only four local authorities working with the homeless charity Crisis on a project called Built For Zero, which aims to reduce and hopefully end homelessness. Part of this project involves working with partners to reduce the number of residents in temporary accommodation and our use of bed and breakfast accommodation. In the first three months of this project, we have reduced our bed and breakfast costs by 20% and we are continuing to explore how we can embed this work to be sure of ongoing and lasting change.
“Homelessness is a national problem but we are committed to doing all we can to end rough sleeping and homelessness in Calderdale, and to give everyone the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
“If you believe you are at risk of rough sleeping or homelessness, or are concerned about someone else, please visit www.calderdale.gov.uk/homeless.”