Housing register numbers 'unprecedented' in Dorset
The cost of living crisis is being blamed for a rise in applications
Last updated 14th Mar 2024
Delays to register for housing need in Dorset means that it is now taking up to five months – with what Dorset Council says is a “significant backlog” of applications.
Even for those who are homeless, the council is warning that it could take four working days for an officer to be in a position to help.
Dorset Council say there are now 5,595 households on the housing register in need of a home for rent with between 400 and 500 applications being added to that number each month.
“Given the national housing crisis, compounded by the cost of living crisis we have seen a significant increase in demand with an unprecedented high number of households applying each month,” said a council spokesperson.
The authority says that all applications are assessed in date order unless there is an urgent reason to escalate a case.
Despite the growing waiting list, Dorset Council says that its work on homelessness has seen an improvement with local figures 15% better than the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUCH) benchmark rate.
Much of this down to early intervention with council staff getting involved at the early stages when someone if threatened with the loss of their home.
At the end of February, the council recorded 280 households in temporary accommodation which included 79 in bed and breakfast, or hotels, of which 28 are families; 36 in hostels where they might have to share kitchen and bathroom facilities; 158 in self-contained homes and 7 in self-contained family caravan on holiday parks.
The council says its priority among those in temporary accommodation is families who are in B&B.
One of the tactics the council is using to try and bring more homes to the market is its empty homes scheme which has been running for four years and has bought 34 of what it describes as “the most complex and problematic empty homes” back into use.
A spokesperson said: "Without direct action from the council, these houses would likely still be empty.
"This work is complex and time consuming, but focussing our efforts on a small number of the most complex cases is the best way to tackle this issue, create real change and have the greatest impact for residents.”
Also in the council’s armoury is Homes Dorset, which was set up in 2019 to provide housing with £4million from the former West Dorset District Council – although the council says it now has no assets.
The council says it has been dormant as a company since 2021 but could be resurrected:
“Re-establishing the company as an option to acquire housing is being considered as part of our new Housing Strategy, agreed in December 2023 and with a detailed delivery plan currently being worked up.”