Emergency Summit: 100+ Councils Rally to Stop the Housing Chaos
On Tuesday, 31 October, a gathering so massive it could top any political convention—over a hundred council leaders—will convene in Eastbourne. The goal? To put an end to a housing crisis that’s turning temporary shelters into expensive prisons for local governments.
What’s Shaking Up the Scene?
- The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities reported that last year local councils spent a staggering £1.7 billion on temporary accommodation. And that number is only going up.
- Social housing is in short supply, rent is sky‑high, and the private sector is far from a safe haven. The result: councillors are doubling up on short‑term solutions, draining budgets and leaving residents stuck in places that feel more like bed and breakfast on a budget.
- Knowing the stakes, Eastbourne Borough Council’s Leader, Councillor Stephen Holt, blasted the situation as “stark” and warned that the safety net is on the verge of cracking.
What the Summit Is Going to Do
- Push the government to raise Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates, giving landlords more incentive to add quality, affordable units.
- Craft a policy that boosts both retention and supply in the rented market to stop landlords from pulling out.
- Re‑evaluate the housing benefit subsidy for council‑run homelessness placements—making it fairer and more sustainable.
- Grant district councils the powers, funding, and support they need to build more social homes and beef up Discretionary Housing Payments and Homelessness Prevention Grants.
- Invite Minister Lee Rowley to sit in on the discussions—because if the national government is to step in, we need the key players on the table.
The Bottom Line from the Council Voice
“Across the country, we’re staring down a wall of need—driven by nowhere social housing, a cost‑of‑living crunch, and a private rental market that’s as unpredictable as a weather forecast in September.”—Councillor Hannah Dalton, District Councils’ Network spokesperson for Health, Housing and Hardship.
“We keep putting people in temporary accommodation as a stopgap, but that’s crapingly expensive for councils and a real mess for residents.”
“The safety net is teetering on the edge. If we don’t act fast, we’ll lose it entirely.”
So what’s on the agenda? Five bold, urgent asks to be hammered into the Autumn Statement—and that’s the only way to clear the backlog of families and bring the crisis to an end.
