Sharp rise in demand for temporary accommodation

A report says 439 families were in emergency housing in Leeds at the end of July

The number of people living in temporary accommodation in Leeds has continued to rise as the council tackles a chronic housing crisis, latest figures show.

Leeds City Council said 439 families were in emergency housing at the end of July, up from just eight in March 2022 and 148 at the end of March 2024.

Meanwhile, the council saw its waiting list for social homes increase to 27,600 in March this year, over 10 times the number of council homes rented out last year.

A report going before the authority's housing board stated that as demand had gone up, the number of available homes had gone down.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), some 6,000 of the applicants were classed as having the highest priority.

The report said: "As we only let around 2,600 council homes in 2024-25, this means the average wait time for an applicant in the most urgent need is in excess of two years.

"Alongside this, we have seen an increase in the number of households living in temporary accommodation, where the council has a statutory duty to accommodate."

'Significant demand'

According to the report, the council had made changes to its lettings policy designed to speed up the process of housing people in the most need, meaning homeless people would be given priority status for a year instead of a limit of 180 days.

Further changes could see some people excluded from the Leeds Homes Register, including those with assets of over £60,000 or without a local connection to the city.

The council said it had also established a housing pressures board to oversee the lettings policy changes and delivery of temporary accommodation.

The report, considered by councillors this week, stated: "There is significant demand for council housing that cannot be met.

"We manage a large amount of customer and ward member inquiries about the impacts of this on individual residents."

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