On Friday 25 May a new high point was reached in tackling the problem of homelessness in Milton Keynes. No families were in Bed and Breakfast, but the pain and strain of homelessness remains. 

Cabinet member for Housing, Cllr Nigel Long is pictured above outside newly opened council houses off of Whaddon Way, Bletchley

Cllr Long said, “So whilst there are 612 homeless Families in temporary accommodation, none are in B&B. This compares to 53% of homeless families being in B&B when Labour took over the Council.“

What the latest figures also highlight is that in the last 12 months the number of homeless families in temporary accommodation has dropped by 163 (775-612). This highlights that the Council are finding alternative long term housing for the homeless families and offering help to prevent homelessness.

Of the families in temporary accommodation, 96% are in Milton Keynes.

Cllr Long added, “Not only are we no longer using B&B, we rarely place families outside of Milton Keynes, and crucially we are also rehousing families more quickly than ever before.“

Funding for tackling Homelessness 2018-19.

Cabinet member Cllr Nigel Long also highlighted that funding for homelessness services this year would be £4.5 million. The Labour Labour led Council has allocated substantial funding to tackling homelessness:

Cllr Nigel Long continued, “Labour led Milton Keynes continues to face a huge homelessness challenge. This weekend we achieved another big step forward with the end of using B&B.“

Cllr Long concluded: “I am pleased about the progress being made, but the real long term solution is the building of more genuinely affordable secure homes. On the 5 June the Labour Cabinet will agree to building 500 new Council houses. But we need Government to free the Council to invest. Without the removal of the investment cap we are still a long way off ending the pain and strain of homelessness.“