FOI Request – Temporary Accommodation Demand and Availability
Case reference FOI2025/00285
Received 3 June 2025
Published 12 June 2025
Request
1. How many households has your local authority placed in temporary accommodation in each of the past 3 years (broken down by year)?
2. Of these, how many were placed: ○ Council Owned temporary Accommodation ○ Bed and Breakfast Accommodation ○ In Housing Association temporary Accommodation ○ In Private Sector Accommodation ○ Out of Borough
3. How many units of temporary accommodation does your authority currently have available?
4. Does your authority consider its current stock sufficient to meet demand? Please explain.
5. How does the Local Authority commission Temporary Accommodation currently? 1
6. Are you currently seeking additional providers of temporary or emergency accommodation (e.g. hotels, private landlords, supported housing)?
7. What are the main challenges your local authority faces in securing adequate temporary accommodation?
8. Which client groups do you find hardest to secure suitable temporary accommodation for?
9. What is the average length of stay in temporary accommodation for households in your area over the past 12 months?
10. How many households have remained in temporary accommodation for more than: ○ 6 months ○ 12 months ○ 18 months
11. What was the total spend by your local authority on temporary accommodation in the past financial year?
12. What are your lowest paid nightly rates for bed and breakfast accommodation: ○ Single Room - Shared Facilities ○ Double Room - Shared Facilities ○ Family Room - Shared Facilities ○ Single Room - Ensuite ○ Double Room - Ensuite ○ Family Room - Ensuite
13. What are your lowest paid nightly rates for properties: ○ Studio ○ 1 Bedroom ○ 2 Bedroom ○ 3 Bedroom ○ 4 Bedroom ○ 5 Bedroom +
Response
1.How many households has your local authority placed in temporary accommodation in each of the past 3 years (broken down by year)?
2022/23 - 243 households
2023/24 - 188 households
2024/25 - 152 households
2. Of these, how many were placed:
(Multiple placements per household)
2022/23 -297 placements total
○ Council Owned temporary Accommodation - 87 placements ○ Bed and Breakfast Accommodation - 128 placements ○ In Housing Association temporary Accommodation - 29 placements ○ In Private Sector Accommodation - 3 placements ○ Out of Borough - 82 placements
2023/24 - 382 placements total
○ Council Owned temporary Accommodation - 83 placements ○ Bed and Breakfast Accommodation - 130 placements ○ In Housing Association temporary Accommodation - 47 placements ○ In Private Sector Accommodation - 12 placements ○ Out of Borough - 6 placements
2024/25 - 343 placements total
○ Council Owned temporary Accommodation - 113 placements ○ Bed and Breakfast Accommodation - 56 placements ○ In Housing Association temporary Accommodation - 38 placements ○ In Private Sector Accommodation - 25 placements ○ Out of Borough - 65 placements
3. How many units of temporary accommodation does your authority currently have available?
Owned by the Council - 45 units
Leased from Social Landlords - 17 units
Leased from Private Landlords - 8 units
4. Does your authority consider its current stock sufficient to meet demand? Please explain.
Yes. We have minimal numbers of households in nightly paid accommodation and are only reliant on nightly-paid providers in periods of higher demand (e.g. SWEP).
5. How does the Local Authority commission Temporary Accommodation currently?
N/A. We are not commissioning temporary accommodation at the moment.
6. Are you currently seeking additional providers of temporary or emergency accommodation (e.g. hotels, private landlords, supported housing)?
No.
7. What are the main challenges your local authority faces in securing adequate temporary accommodation?
N/A
8. Which client groups do you find hardest to secure suitable temporary accommodation for?
Either applicants who require fully level access accommodation or applicants with arson/violent/sexual offenses.
9. What is the average length of stay in temporary accommodation for households in your area over the past 12 months?
Average of 165 days (placements between 1st June 2024 - 31st May 2025
10. How many households have remained in temporary accommodation for more than: ○ 6 months - does not specify which period ○ 12 months - does not specify which period ○ 18 months - does not specify which period
11. What was the total spend by your local authority on temporary accommodation in the past financial year?
2024/25 - £759,964 (gross spend)
12. What are your lowest paid nightly rates for bed and breakfast accommodation: ○ Single Room - Shared Facilities - N/A ○ Double Room - Shared Facilities - N/A ○ Family Room - Shared Facilities - N/A ○ Single Room - Ensuite - £30.00 per night (excluding VAT) ○ Double Room - Ensuite - £45.00 per night (excluding VAT) ○ Family Room - Ensuite - £60.00 per night (excluding VAT)
13. What are your lowest paid nightly rates for properties: ○ Studio - £52.00 per night (excluding VAT) ○ 1 Bedroom - £52.00 per night (excluding VAT) ○ 2 Bedroom - £54.50 per night (excluding VAT) ○ 3 Bedroom - £72.00 per night (excluding VAT) ○ 4 Bedroom - £85.00 per night (excluding VAT) ○ 5 Bedroom + - £85.00 per night (excluding VAT)
Documents
This is Tunbridge Wells Borough Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.