Council approves £32m push to tackle homelessness

A council has approved a £32m investment in 150 additional homes for temporary accommodation.

Oxford City Council said it would reduce the current reliance on hotels and bed and breakfasts to house the homeless.

Households in temporary accommodation in the city have more than doubled, rising from 116 in March 2023 to 309 by November 2025.

The local authority said that the investment would include buying new properties and bringing existing council-owned homes back into use.

It will mean the council will have 560 units of owned or managed temporary accommodation by 2028/29.

Without action, spending on hotels had been projected to reach about £2.4m a year.

Temporary accommodation is provided to households who are homeless and in priority need while longer-term housing is secured.

Councillor Linda Smith, cabinet member for housing and communities, said: "We are seeing unprecedented pressure on our homelessness services, and more people than ever are turning to us for help.

"This funding can help us provide a place to cook meals and the stability of a front door, for those experiencing hardship and at risk of homelessness.

"This accommodation can be the first stepping stone towards rebuilding lives, and helps keep people closer to schools, to work and to their support networks."

She added that the local authority was also building new fully affordable council homes across Oxford.

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