In 2024/25, Folkestone & Hythe District Council spent nearly £920,000 on temporary accommodation, setting a new record despite efforts to invest in affordable housing. This figure is a sharp rise from the £818,123 spent the year before and marks a staggering 236% jump from 2018/19.
According to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), temporary accommodation now absorbs roughly 9% of the council’s core budget, an increase from 8.3% in 2023/24, underscoring a deepening crisis where homelessness costs compete with essential services like waste, planning, and leisure.
The council has tried to expand affordable housing, acquiring a total of 67 units from various projects and adding 135 newly built homes between 2018 and 2024. Yet, this effort is nowhere near enough for rising demand.
The combined total of 202 new or acquired affordable homes across six years highlights a supply shortfall that has left many families reliant on temporary accommodation, including bed and breakfasts, hotels, and privately rented spaces, often unsuitable for long-term living.
The strain on the housing system has become increasingly evident. Temporary accommodation has evolved from an emergency measure into a long-term solution for