COUNCIL house tenants who cannot pay their rent will not be evicted, a housing chief has announced.

The move was one of many emergency coronavirus measures announced by Brighton and Hove City Council housing chief Councillor Gill Williams today.

She pledged to support those unable to pay their council house rent for the next three weeks.

“No tenants will be evicted because they are unable to pay the rent,” she said.

“We are pleased with the Government’s announcement that those in private rented accommodation should not be evicted during this time.”

Cllr Williams also announced a council-run food parcel delivery service will be introduced next week.

She said food banks are not able to respond to the current crisis.

“It will be available to a range of vulnerable residents across the city including those who are having to self-isolate and are unable to get supplies,” she said.

“The current food banks are not able to respond to the scale of the current crisis.

“So the new service will be able to reach a much wider group of people.”

Meanwhile homeless people at risk of catching coronavirus are set to be housed in hotels.

Cllr Williams said additional accommodation was being secured for the most vulnerable rough sleepers.

“We are also securing additional accommodation so that all who need it will have somewhere safe to stay,” she said.

“The council has already been working on plans to support those who are homeless and rough sleeping by identifying additional accommodation that can be used.”

Cllr Williams also insisted council staff would continue to be paid even if they were self-isolating.

And she encouraged those in financial difficulty to apply for council tax reduction.

“We will use all resources currently available to the council to support people in hardship and will consider how to deploy the council’s share of the national £500m hardship fund,” she said.

“We will work with other agencies to support and encourage people to claim welfare benefits wherever possible.

“We would encourage anyone in financial difficulty to contact our council tax team immediately using our online form.

“Brighton and Hove is a caring city and has already done much to respond to the current crisis."