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Response 3965158

Response to request for information

Reference

3965158

Response date

17 April 2026

Request

  1. Use of temporary accommodation
    For each of the following calendar years – 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 – please provide:
    1. The total number of temporary accommodation placements or bookings made
    2. Of these, the total number of placements or bookings made with private providers
    3. The total number of private providers of temporary accommodation that the council made payments to
    4. The total amount paid by the council to private providers of temporary accommodation
  2. Costs
    For the calendar year 2025, please provide:
    1. The average monthly cost of temporary accommodation per person, and please provide this separately for:
      • Accommodation provided by private sector providers
      • Accommodation owned or managed by the council
    2. The average monthly amount charged to residents for utilities and/or service charges in private sector temporary accommodation, where these costs are charged in addition to the accommodation cost covered by the local authority.
  3. Largest private providers
    Please provide the following information for the three private providers that received the highest total payments from the council for temporary accommodation in 2025:
    • Provider name
    • Total amount paid to each provider
    • The number of accommodation sites operated by each provider
    • A breakdown of the types of accommodation used (for example, number of hostel placements, B&B placements, nightly paid accommodation, or other categories, where recorded)
    • The average monthly charge per placement (or equivalent measure of cost) for each provider

Response

We confirm we hold the information you request.  The response to your questions is set out below in bold text.
 
Use of temporary accommodation.
 
Our data is only available for 2024/25, 2023/24, 2022/23, 2021/22, 2020/21

a.    The total number of temporary accommodation placements or bookings made. 

  • 2024/25 - 75
  • 2023/24 - 60
  • 2022/23 - 77
  • 2021/22 - 87
  • 2020/21 - 91
     

b.    Of these, the total number of placements or bookings made with private providers.

  • 2024/25 - 61
  • 2023/24 - 43
  • 2022/23 - 54
  • 2021/22 - 56
  • 2020/21 - 47

c.    The total number of private providers of temporary accommodation that the council made payments to. 

This would require a manual check and would exceed the FOI exemption financial threshold as a number of placements are required to be unique or bespoke based on individual housing need.  

d.    The total amount paid by the council to private providers of temporary accommodation.

  • 2024/25 - £131,364.19
  • 2023/24 - £106,526.07
  • 2022/23 - £105,309.97
  • 2021/22 - £120,663.56
  • 2020/21 - £72,071.67

 

Costs

For the calendar year 2025, please provide:

  1. The average monthly cost of temporary accommodation per person, and please provide this separately for:
    • Accommodation provided by private sector providers. Average £1820 per room 
    • Accommodation owned or managed by the council. Average £1579.63 per household in family hostel.  
  2. The average monthly amount charged to residents for utilities and/or service charges in private sector temporary accommodation, where these costs are charged in addition to the accommodation cost covered by the local authority. Average £71.59
                
    Largest private providers

Please provide the following information for the three private providers that received the highest total payments from the council for temporary accommodation in 2025:

  • Provider name. Information not disclosed under Section 38 as doing so may put vulnerable individuals at risk (see Refusal Notice below).
  • Total amount paid to each provider see Refusal Notice below
  • The number of accommodation sites operated by each provider. see Refusal Notice below
  • A breakdown of the types of accommodation used (for example, number of hostel placements, B&B placements, nightly paid accommodation, or other categories, where recorded). See Refusal Notice below
  • The average monthly charge per placement (or equivalent measure of cost) for each provider. See response to (a) above
     
    Refusal Notice – s17 FOIA 
    Exemption -  s38 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA)
    The Council holds information related to the three largest providers of temporary accommodation.  The Council considers that information relating to the name, premises, frequency of use and operational details of these providers  is exempt from disclosure under section 38 of the FOIA which states:
     
    38 (1) Information is exempt information if its disclosure under this Act would, or would be likely to-
     
    (a) endanger the physical or mental health of any individual, or
     
    (b) endanger the safety of any individual.
     
    (2) The duty to confirm or deny does not arise if, or to the extent that, compliance with section 1(1)(a) would, or would be likely to, have either of the effects mentioned in subsection (1).
     
     It is the Council’s view that disclosure of the name and operational details of providers would, or would be likely to, endanger individuals accessing those services or working within facilities operated by those providers.  The reason for this decision is that a significant proportion of individuals placed in temporary accommodation are fleeing violence, abuse or circumstances where their safety is dependent on their location being unknown to others.  Disclosure of the name of the providers and details of their operations would make it possible to trace the likely location of the facilities used for temporary accommodation.  This could not only lead to endangerment of vulnerable individuals but also impact on the service providers use of that facility for the provision of safe, secure and private temporary accommodation for different classes of homeless people.  
     
    Section 38 is a qualified exemption, and as such we have performed a public interest test to evaluate and balance factors for and against disclosure of the information requested.
     
    Against Disclosure
     
    •    to protect the physical and mental health of vulnerable individuals under section 38(1)(a)
    •    to protect the safety of vulnerable individuals under section 38(1)(b)
    •    to protect the safety of staff working in temporary accommodation facilities
    •    to maintain the continued use of specific facilities by service providers as safe accommodation for homeless individuals
    •    to maintain the widest range of options available to the Council to provide safe temporary accommodation
    •    there is a public interest in the Council having the ability to offer temporary accommodation to qualifying individuals whose safety is dependent on having an undisclosed residence.  
    For Disclosure
    •    Disclosure of the information requested would allow the Council to fulfil its obligations under the FOIA
    •    Disclosure would demonstrate the Council’s commitment to transparency in its service delivery and use of public funds
    •    Public trust in the Council may be increased where the Council acknowledges the public interest in the Council being open and transparent 
     
    On balance the public interest in maintaining the exemption due to the risk to vulnerable individuals outweighs the arguments for disclosure and on this basis this part of the information requested is being withheld. 

FOI Responses Housing 2026