The amount of households approaching Rutland County Council because they are at risk of losing their homes has risen by a quarter in just three years. 

In the most recent year to April, 268 families had turned to the council because they were concerned they were about to lose the roof over their heads, largely due to an end of their private rental tenancy and a lack of other affordable places to rent. This is up from 212 households in 2021.  

All councils have a statutory duty to try to prevent homelessness and must house people who have nowhere to live. Currently the Rutland authority is housing 18 different households in temporary accommodation and in the most recent financial year spent more than £220,000 on emergency housing including bed and breakfast. 

 A survey by the council found there was just one person sleeping rough in the county. 

The cabinet, which is led by Gale Waller, will discuss a new five-year homelessness strategy tomorrow (Nov 12). 

The report says: "Since Covid-19 there has been a steady increase in the level of homelessness reported across the county. The housing options team, over 2023/24, has seen a large increase in homeless presentations and the cases that are coming through are more complex than before. It is difficult to predict future levels of homelessness; however, it is predicted to continue to rise nationally. The following factors are likely to impact on the demand for services:  

• Escalating private rent levels and lack of private rentals in Rutland 
• Lack of new affordable housing supply and lack of movement from existing social tenants 
• Cost of living increase, meaning some households are no longer able to afford to accommodate family living with them." 

Of the 18,022 homes in the county just 11 per cent are available for social rent, and there are currently 485 different households on the authority's housing register 

The authority housing team and adult social services team currently works together to prevent homelessness. The authority also contracts Derby-based charity P3 to work with families. 

A homeless review report written in September by the council's head of planning Roger Ranson said: "In 2023/24, 118 clients were supported by P3 and data shows that, over the year, the split between male and female is fairly even and the majority of those being supported are of the age 18-64. The team from P3, which is made up of 2.5 full-time equivalent staff, are collocated with the housing options team – this has been of huge benefit, and they are able to seek support from wider colleagues across the services and really work in a holistic way. This also avoids duplication of casework.  

"Prior to 2022, the council's housing floating support service was delivered by three separate partners and coordinated via Citizen Advice Rutland. There was little oversight of cases and outcomes and therefore since bringing the service direct under the housing options team, there are quarterly monitoring review meetings, regular management case discussions and a shared vision of outcomes for our clients." 

The authority can also help people at risk of homelessness by giving them small grants to help get their rent errors under control. 

The council is given £66,000 in a homeless reduction grant by central government, plus has received an £11,000 winter top up and also gets around £35,000 in money that it can give in discretionary payments to people. 

The report does say that the people who go into temporary accommodation after becoming homeless can find it hard to move on and get an offer from housing association providers due to the lettings policy of the organisations. 

It says it will try and negotiate so that more discretion is applied to help people move on from temporary housing. 

Recommendations alongside bringing in a new strategy including reviewing the housing register applications as well as the council's housing allocations policy, relaunching the area's homelessness forum and consider what the options are for young people at risk of homelessness and care leavers.