Rise In Homelessness Across Harborough

There has been a big increase in homelessness in the Harborough District, with the Council expecting to have spent £90,000 housing people in temporary accommodation by the end of the year.

New figures show in the last year 62 people have had no place to live – compared with 39 the year before.

The majority had to be placed in Bed and Breakfasts – while other accommodation was found – the bill for that has more than doubled.

The Council paid for people to stay in B&Bs for 1,160 nights, compared with 399 the year before – two families spent over three months in one.

Spiraling rents, welfare cuts and a lack of social housing is being blamed for the rise.

The Council is now set to launch a new Homelessness Prevention Fund which would offer one-off payments to households at risk of becoming homeless in a bid to reduce the increasing number.