Blackpool handed £2.8m boost to tackle homelessness

Blackpool is to receive nearly £3m to tackle homelessness as latest figures show a rise in the number of people without a proper home.

The Lancashire town's council will receive £2.86m in government funding for the issue, which is £875,000 more than last year and includes money to help prevent homelessness and rough sleeping and to fund services such as drug and alcohol dependency treatment.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb, who has campaigned for the more support, said it was a "much needed boost".

Latest figures show the council's housing options team – which offers emergency support for people who lose their homes – supported 3,300 households in 2023/24, 300 more than the previous year.

Three hundred and forty one people are estimated to be homeless in Blackpool this year, including 157 children, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

National data for 2023/24 showed the level of homelessness in Blackpool was more than double the nationwide average at 18% per 100,000 households compared with 7% for England.

It comes after Mr Webb called for more resources to tackle the spike in homelessness in the resort earlier this month.

The Labour MP said: "This funding will provide direct help to families and individuals, helping prevent homelessness and giving rough sleepers the chance to turn their lives around."

The funding is part of almost £1bn which will be distributed by the government to councils across England next year to tackle homelessness.

A report presented to Blackpool Council's tourism, economy and communities scrutiny committee, warned an increase in homelessness can be largely attributed to the impact the cost of living has had in causing private rent to increase and landlords having to sell properties.

"This disproportionately affects Blackpool due to the scale of private rented accommodation in the town," it said.

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