Government cash to support more homeless housing

Two councils in the East Midlands are to receive new funding to tackle homelessness.

Leicester City Council is to receive £360,000, and Nottingham City Council will get £210,000.

The government says the money, part of a £5 million programme of Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots, will "test innovative approaches and kickstart new initiatives".

The scheme will work with 20 local councils, including Leicester and Nottingham, with the highest use of bed and breakfast accommodation for homeless families to put in place specialised plans to reduce the use of emergency accommodation.

The government says the number of families in these types of accommodation nationally has nearly doubled in three years - but they provide only limited stability and are among the most expensive for councils to provide.

Homelessness minister Rushanara Ali said it was hoped her department's team of experts would work with Leicester and the 19 other councils receiving this cash, "to identify solutions which work for their local circumstances and share the learning across the country".

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