Extra cash promised to reduce number of homeless people in B&Bs

The government has promised £500,000 to reduce the number
of homeless people in bed and breakfast accommodation.

The money will be used to set up action advice teams, which will
help councils measure the extent of the bed and breakfast
problem.

Housing minister Lord Falconer told a national B&B
conference: “Bed and Breakfast accommodation is an expensive option
– both for local authorities with their over-stretched
budgets, and for the homeless in terms of the cost to their long
term health.

“The government is determined to reduce local authority use of
such accommodation,” he added.

A consultation document was published recently by the department
of transport, local government and the regions (DTLR) on the
government’s approach to homelessness.