New figures reveal the need for support has increased by more than 100 per cent in some areas, revealing the extra strain placed on the local authority.
The number of nights spent in temporary accommodation in 2023/24 was 9,616 compared to pre-Covid levels of 1,486 in 2019-20, an increase of 547 per cent. The nights spent in temporary accommodation for the first two quarters of 2024-25 is already 8,004 and is on course to be over 16,000 for the year, according to a council report.
The number of households placed in temporary accommodation in 2023-24 was 485 compared to pre-Covid levels of 174 in 2019-20, a 179 per cent increase because of the difficulties of moving people into permanent settled accommodation.
Services have been forced to become more reactive due to the sudden increase in demand for temporary accommodation to ensure no one is left homeless or having to rough sleep. People are being placed in alternative hotels and bed and breakfasts because contracted provision is full.
As well as the pressures created since the Covid-19 pandemic, the lifting of the ban on section 21 “no-fault” evictions in June 2021 has also increased homeless presentations and requests for housing advice. In 2023-24, the council received 1,357 presentations to its Housing Options service, compared to pre-Covid levels of 835 in 2019-20.
Funding the council’s homelessness services has also been impacted. Significant increases to costs mean the council faces an alarming shortfall despite receiving funding from the government. Officials predict a £1.326 million shortfall in housing benefit subsidy and rent allowance for 2025/26, described as the second largest pressure on council finances.
In November, the council unveiled its strategy to end homelessness in Darlington, ensure every resident has a secure and affordable home, and provide the right support. It is hoped national measures to end Section 21 no-fault evictions and improve private-sector housing controls will also improve experiences.
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The strategy sets out the council’s vision:
- To work in partnership to end homelessness in Darlington
- That every resident in Darlington has a secure, affordable place to call home
- That the right support is in place at the right time
- Where homelessness occurs it is rare, brief and non-recurrent
Councillor Matthew Roche, the council’s cabinet member for health and housing, said: “Preventing homelessness and rough sleeping is a huge issue at both national and local levels. This strategy sets out our ambition to meet the challenges, working in partnership with local providers and others to deliver better outcomes for our residents.”