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Councils to house homeless in boats and caravans

Councils to house homeless in boats and caravans

Friday, 2 September 2011 12:35 PM

Local authorities will be permitted to house the homeless in houseboats and caravans from 2012, according to an industry magazine.

Inside Housing reported today that a spokesman from the Communities and Local Government department confirmed that provided the accommodation was “suitable”, these locations could be used to house people in certain circumstances.

According to the article, a spokesperson said that "the department did not expect caravans and boats ‘to be much used’ by councils”.

Under the terms of the proposed Localism Bill, the homeless will not be able to refuse private accommodation offered to them by local authorities. Currently, councils can only offer homeless people shelter in social housing.

Houseboats were also in the news earlier this week as Housing Minister Grant Shapps urged local authorities to creatively meet housing needs by helping people set up home on houseboats.

Shapps said that authorities should consider how newly restored local controls over housing provision and planning could enable people to choose boats over bricks and mortar.

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Friday, 2 September 2011 12:35 PM

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