The city’s new homelessness strategy could allow households in temporary accommodation to stay permanently while increasing affordable housing supply.
Liverpool City Council has introduced a new homelessness strategy designed to improve living stability for households currently in temporary accommodation. By leveraging recent procurement efforts, the council has secured five new contracts that provide access to approximately 1,500 units within the private rental sector. These contracts cover both temporary and permanent housing options, with suppliers expected to offer a set proportion of permanent homes throughout the contract period.
Currently, the council supports roughly 1,600 households through interim or temporary housing, and it has expanded its stock of self-contained units to 1,330. This shift is intended to offer residents the possibility of remaining in their homes long-term whenever possible. To further address housing challenges, the city has significantly reduced its reliance on hotels, with only 277 rooms currently in use, and has capped family stays in hotels at six weeks to ensure better living conditions. These measures aim to provide stable, secure housing for eligible households and reduce the demand for spot-purchase accommodations.
Councillor Hetti Wood emphasized that access to a home is a fundamental right, particularly for the benefit of children and families. In addition to these housing contracts, the council is working with the government and social landlords to bring vacant properties back into use, expanding rent-to-buy and affordable housing opportunities. Other measures include a support service for single-person households and new grants designed to incentivize private landlords to return 365 properties to the rental market.
