Homelessness support investment of £3.2m agreed by Cabinet

22 Jul 2025

More temporary accommodation will be available to support people in West Suffolk who have become homeless, after a £3.2m investment was agreed this evening.

Cabinet members at West Suffolk Council agreed the major investment after considering a business case.

The funding will be now used to buy and refurbish properties in Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill for use as temporary accommodation.

The precise locations of the properties aren’t being made public by the council as the people that will be housed there could include victims of domestic abuse and other vulnerable people who may be at risk of being preyed upon and exploited.

The investment follows directly on from the council’s Housing, Homelessness Reduction and Rough Sleeping Strategy, shaped through public engagement and adopted late last year. Among the actions to take forward, the strategy set out the need for more temporary accommodation in West Suffolk.

The decision to further invest in delivering more temporary accommodation will also assist in reducing the council’s reliance on emergency bed and breakfast accommodation for homeless residents. Bed and breakfast placements tend to be more costly for the council and taxpayers and are often less appropriate for meeting the specific needs of households, particularly families or individuals.

The latest investment will deliver an additional 23 units of temporary accommodation dedicated to providing housing to families, couples, and individuals in West Suffolk who are experiencing homelessness. Each unit is designed to meet the needs of one household whether that’s accommodation for a family or a room for a single person. The additional temporary accommodation will take the total number of units up to 72.

The need for more temporary accommodation is demonstrated by the latest housing figures which show that as of 1 July 2025, West Suffolk Council had 70 households being supported in temporary or emergency accommodation.

Cllr Richard O’Driscoll, Cabinet Member for Housing at West Suffolk Council, said: “This is a major investment but one that is needed as part of our work to continue to help people from across West Suffolk - whether they are families, couples or individuals – who have become homeless.

“Being made homeless must be a devastating experience which is why our emphasis is always on prevention wherever possible. Where it is not possible, we will place people in temporary accommodation and work to help and support them until they are ready and able to move into a permanent and settled home once more.

“Sadly, we know that more temporary accommodation is required and so I am pleased that Cabinet members this evening backed this investment to benefit the lives of West Suffolk residents during their time of greatest need.”

In April the council launched the new West Suffolk Housing Pathway, offering tailored support and accommodation to people with learning difficulties, mental health needs, people battling drug or alcohol addiction, homeless people, ex-offenders and people who are working but need additional support.

 

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