21-02-2025
Council cuts accommodation for 'non-priority' homeless people after 'unprecedented' demand
Homeless people in Trafford will only receive emergency accommodation in accordance with its council's legal obligations following a senior officer's decision.
The move announced on the authority's website said the borough is currently experiencing 'unprecedented levels of homelessness' with a 'significant increase' in the need for temporary housing and bed and breakfast accommodation.
Trafford's corporate director of place Richard Roe said in a report that the problem is 'creating substantial budget pressure for the council'.
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As part of the Homeless Reduction Act 2017 the authority must provide emergency housing if the applicant is homeless, eligible for assistance and in 'priority need'.
Priority need is where people have certain vulnerabilities, including pregnant women, people with dependent children, victims of domestic abuse, 16 or 17-year-olds, and 18 to 21-year-olds who were previously in the local authority care, and who may be at risk of sexual or financial exploitation.
Rough sleepers, disabled people, those with a mental health condition, elderly people who are terminally ill and people who have served in the armed forces also fall into this category.
Mr Roe's report said: 'For those individuals who do not fall into the priority need category, we do not legally have a duty to accommodate them.
'However, Trafford has been accommodating non-priority individuals since the Greater Manchester Mayor's A Bed Every Night (ABEN) initiative was established in 2018 and we are only funded by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to provide 11 units under ABEN.
'But all individuals have continued to be housed in B&B/temporary accommodation - including non-priority - even when ABEN provision is at capacity.
'As placements increase and B&B costs continue to rise to unsustainable levels; while limited resources need to be targeted at those which the council has a statutory duty to support, Trafford will now only place those homeless individuals where it has a statutory duty to do so - priority.'
This decision comes against a backdrop of an expected 7.49 per cent increase in council tax for Trafford residents.
