English councils spent a record £2.9 billion on temporary accommodation in the year to March 2026, according to figures highlighted by homelessness charity Crisis. This marks an increase from £1.6 billion spent five years earlier.
Of the latest total, £1.9 billion was spent on nightly-paid accommodation, hostels, and B&Bs. At the end of March, 135,580 households were living in temporary accommodation.
Southampton-based SDM Property, an agency that works with councils and private landlords, states it has secured 532 tenancies in the past year for individuals who were homeless or in emergency or temporary housing. The agency is now expanding its model across the south coast, recently taking on around 10 units in Bournemouth and three in Portsmouth.
SDM director Mark Vine believes letting agents can use their relationships with landlords and councils to help keep more people in settled accommodation. The agency is encouraging more landlords, including those who may have previously ruled out tenants receiving benefits, to participate in their scheme across Southampton, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, and surrounding areas.