Arun District Council spent £3m on emergency housing

Arun District Council is currently in the process of acquiring 18 new-build properties through the Local Authority Housing Fund, which provides funding to increase councils’ housing stock. Ten will be used for temporary accommodation and eight for the Afghan resettlement scheme.

Temporary accommodation is provided to those facing homelessness while they wait for permanent housing and the Afghan resettlement scheme is there "to support individuals and families who have directly assisted the UK".

An FOI response dated August 12 shows 252 households were in temporary accommodation with the council spending £3,536,454.73 on emergency and temporary housing during 2025/26.

This compares to a figure of more than 211 households in this type of accommodation that was reported in June.

According to the council, the purchase of these properties would help to reduce its reliance on "expensive emergency accommodation", with an estimated saving of £260,000 a year based on current costs.

Eight two-bedroom homes have already been authorised for purchase with a total cost of £2.51m.

Although the properties have not yet been obtained, the council confirmed that 14 of the houses, nine for temporary accommodation and five for Afghan resettlement, are due to be delivered by 2026-27 and the remaining four are due in 2028-29.

For the wider project, the council has a maximum spend limit of £7.465m consisting of £2.935m from a government grant, £1.172m from a Section 106 agreement and £3.358m in borrowing.