Bolton Council has agreed to lease over a dozen extra properties to help support local people who would otherwise be facing homelessness.
Under the Housing Act, local authorities have a legal responsibility to provide temporary accommodation to those in need.
The council has a long-standing arrangement with local housing associations, with several properties set aside on long-term leases to provide this temporary accommodation when required.
But as councils across the UK face unprecedented demand, Bolton, like many other areas, has been forced to rely on a modest number of hotel rooms and other costly private sector placements in recent months.
A meeting of the Executive Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services and Property heard hotels can cost the council £100 a night, compared to £98 a week from a social housing provider.
With some leases due for renewal, the council is taking the opportunity to secure 13 additional properties on a long-term basis.
The move not only saves the council significant resources but will allow more individuals or families to stay in a more suitable home environment within the Bolton community.
Cllr Sue Haworth, the Executive Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services and Property, said:
“The cost-of-living crisis has put household budgets under serious pressure at a time when rent and house prices continue to rise.
“Like places across the country, the Bolton borough is seeing a major increase in demand on homelessness support services.
“This decision will help ease some of that pressure, reduce our dependence on hotels and other costly placements, and ensure more people can be temporarily accommodated in a home that’s right for them.”