Council proposes £10m plan to tackle homelessness

A total of 36 homeless people died in Brighton and Hove in 2024

A council is proposing to invest £10m to purchase up to 200 temporary homes to tackle homelessness.

Brighton & Hove City Council said the scheme placed "vulnerable families at the heart of its housing strategy".

A total of 36 homeless people died in Brighton and Hove in 2024, according to new figures by the Museum of Homelessness – the same number as 2023, but down from 43 in 2022.

Council deputy leader Jacob Taylor said: "The pressure on housing is immense and we need to think differently."

The plan also aims to utilise some of the council's existing assets for housing, including the Slipper Baths and the South Downs Riding School.

'Restoring dignity'

The council said that purchasing temporary homes would offer "greater flexibility than secure tenancies" to support families in transition and prepare for long-term renting.

"No new eligibility criteria are being introduced, and the council will prioritise families most in need," the council said.

Councillor Gill Williams, cabinet member for housing and new homes, added: "By investing £10m in homes, we are restoring dignity and giving families a pathway to secure housing."

The proposal is due to be discussed at a future cabinet meeting.

The number of households in temporary accommodation in England climbed to a record high of 131,140 at the end of March 2025, according to the latest government figures.

According to the Museum of Homelessness, it registered the deaths of at least 1,611 homeless people across the UK in 2024.

A total of 11 were children under 18, with four children having not reached their first birthday, the data said.

The numbers were up from 1,474 deaths in 2023 and 1,313 deaths in 2022.