Following welfare reforms and increases in private sector rents, councils are planning to spend millions of pounds next year on temporary accommodation for homeless families.
Oxford Council is finalising its budget for the 2014/15 period and has plans to dedicate extra funds to temporary accommodation, according to a report in Inside Housing.
The allocations will start in April and are the first of their kind. Oxford has reportedly set aside £10 million for 2014 to 2017 to purchase homes for families in need of temporary accommodation.
Councils say the spending is needed due to increasing difficulty accessing private rented accommodation as landlords increase prices to lease temporary accommodation. In addition, recent welfare reforms, including a pilot scheme in Oxford of the single universal credit, have contributed to need.
Haringey Council is also procuring additional temporary accommodation by budgeting an extra £995,000 for 2014/15, according to the report in Inside Housing.
Other London boroughs are also following suite including Lambeth, Redbridge, Enfield and Ealing.
