Worcester City Council’s Deputy Leader Jabba Riaz has welcomed ‘dignified living’ for vulnerable families in the city, after a dramatic fall in the use of bed and breakfast facilities and temporary accommodation for homeless and vulnerably housed people.

The Labour-led city council has overseen a number of enhancements to housing arrangements in the city over the last year, including bringing self-contained flats at Park Street under direct council control, changing the provider of temporary accommodation at Bath Road, and a reduction in use of temporary accommodation.

These changes have led to a 100% reduction in the number of families spending over six weeks housed in B&Bs, and to the average length of family stays in B&Bs being cut by 60%, from 37 days to 15 days.

“Taken altogether, the changes made over the last year have provided more dignified living for the most vulnerable families in our city. Previously, these same families would have spent longer in the limbo of bed and breakfast. Now, they can get into more suitable accommodation more quickly.

This is good for the families themselves, but also for council tax payers. Bed and breakfast is one of the most expensive ways of providing shelter to vulnerable families. Using less bed and breakfast ensures not just that families can have better quality of life, but that the council can meet its statutory obligations at lower cost.

This is a situation doing the right thing by vulnerable people also means doing the smart thing financially.”

Contact Details:
Mike Stafford
Worcester Labour Party
mstafford1284@gmail.com
07500 877493