Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 13
13
Accepted
MHCLG acknowledges B&B accommodation is sub-optimal but necessary for statutory duties.
Conclusion
MHCLG conceded that placing families in B&B accommodation is a “seriously sub-optimal” way of accommodating them. It therefore assumes that local authorities should use as little B&B accommodation as they can. However, if using B&Bs is the only way to meet statutory duties, MHCLG considers that it is value for money for local authorities to do so rather than not provide any temporary accommodation.18
Government Response Summary
The government launched Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots in January 2025 with £5 million, and an additional £3 million in February 2025, to work with 20 local authorities to reduce B&B use for homeless families. HAST advisers will also continue to support local authorities.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 2.2 In January 2025, MHCLG launched the Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots, which was backed by £5 million to work with 20 local authorities with the highest use of bed & breakfast (B&B) accommodation for homeless families, to test innovative approaches and kickstart new initiatives to reduce the use of B&Bs. Areas were selected using the latest quarterly homelessness data from June 2024. 2.3 In February 2025, MHCLG announced a further £3 million funding for 2024-25 to the pilot areas, to undertake occupancy audits of temporary accommodation, to help establish a baseline for the pilots and to identify any voids, fraud or irregular arrangements, which could free up better quality temporary accommodation units for use by households currently living in B&Bs and other forms of emergency accommodation. This takes the total funding for the Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots to £8 million. 2.4 Alongside the Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots, the department’s Homelessness Advice and Support Team (HAST) advisers continue to work with all local authorities, particularly focusing on local authorities that have high homelessness demand and high rates of temporary accommodation.