Brighton & Hove City Council Launches Short-Term Scheme to Support Homeless Households

Brighton & Hove City Council is introducing a short-term scheme to use empty council homes as temporary accommodation for homeless households. The move aims to ease the increasing pressures on homelessness services and reduce the financial burden of nightly-paid temporary housing. Under the scheme, council homes that become vacant between 19 January and 1 May […]

Brighton & Hove City Council is introducing a short-term scheme to use empty council homes as temporary accommodation for homeless households. The move aims to ease the increasing pressures on homelessness services and reduce the financial burden of nightly-paid temporary housing.

Under the scheme, council homes that become vacant between 19 January and 1 May will be used to house homeless households rather than being offered to people on the city’s housing register.

The initiative is expected to make up to 80 homes available and save around £0.75 million over the year.

Recent figures highlight the severity of the city’s housing crisis. According to Shelter’s 2024 analysis, 3,580 people in Brighton & Hove are homeless—approximately one in every 77 residents—with nearly 40% being children.

By November 2025, 2,150 households were placed in temporary accommodation, up from 114 in 2022.

The scheme prioritises households with children and those where there are clear health or educational benefits. It is intended to provide more stability than some other forms of temporary accommodation, allowing families to stay within their support networks, schools, and healthcare services.

Councillor Bella Sankey, Leader of the Council, said:
“Brighton & Hove is facing a serious housing crisis with rising numbers of people experiencing homelessness and increasing financial pressures on the council. While we are committed to long-term solutions, including buying 200 homes and developing council-owned properties, this short-term measure is needed to ease acute pressures over the next few months. We will closely monitor the scheme and consult residents to assess its impact.”

The scheme will affect homes advertised from the bidding cycle beginning 29 January, which may cause delays for some people currently on the housing register. Housing association and seniors’ housing properties are not included and will still be allocated as normal.

The council emphasises that, while temporary, the scheme offers greater stability for vulnerable households and aims to positively impact mental and physical health, particularly for children