More than 23,000 children are now growing up in temporary accommodation across England’s counties – enough to fill an average market town.
This was one of the stark findings from new research by the County Councils Network (CCN) on the worsening homelessness crisis in county and rural areas.
Consequently, record numbers of families are being housed in bed and breakfasts, hostels and expensive ‘nightly paid’ accommodation across county and rural areas.
It’s clear that the homelessness crisis is no longer confined to just England’s major cities. I see this first hand in my own large rural county of Durham.
The number of households in temporary accommodation in county and rural areas is also at an all-time high, of 22,230, up almost 80 per cent over the past six years (compared with 48 per cent nationally and 28 per cent in London).
Consequently, costs are ballooning. Councils in county areas spent £124 million on temporary accommodation in 2019/20, compared with £373 million in 2024/25. The cost-of-living crisis, soaring rents and a lack of affordable homes in many areas have contributed to the rising numbers.
While the Government has announced the first £10 billion of its Social and Affordable Homes Programme – designed to cut the number of families in temporary accommodation – virtually all of this first tranche of funding was for major cities.
This has followed an early trend from the new administration in government, in which policy and funding announcements are largely city-centric.
As one of the leading organisations representing county and rural authorities, we aim to showcase the specific challenges faced in those areas.
Our summer research on homelessness is just the beginning. We have another substantial piece of work in the pipeline, which will explore how approaches to prevention and early intervention can be honed further.
We know a lot of the reasons why people become homeless, but this research will explore the how – and what can be done to prevent people from reaching crisis point.
As we lead up to the Budget next month, we are determined to get rural homelessness – and wider funding pressures – clearly on the new Government’s radar.
While local authorities can claim back temporary accommodation costs, councillors will know that these remain capped at 90 per cent of local authority housing allowance rates – and at the rate set in 2011.
Government funding has failed to keep pace and accommodation costs have increased significantly over the past 25 years, meaning the shortfall is increasingly met from local authority budgets.
The CCN has previously called on ministers to update the housing allowance subsidy, so councils are no longer forced to absorb rapidly rising costs.
We also want ministers to ensure homelessness and temporary accommodation funding reflects rising demand and the specific challenges in county areas, and to recognise rural homelessness as a core part of any future homelessness and rough-sleeping strategy.
County and rural unitary councils work tirelessly to support residents at risk of homelessness, but demand is rising far faster than funding and is placing enormous pressure on local budgets.
Rural England needs the same attention and investment, and, ultimately, a long-term solution.
- The County Councils Network is an LGA special interest group. See countycouncilsnetwork.org.uk to find out more, including about its annual conference in November.