§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many otherwise homeless people are at present in bed and breakfast accommodation
- (a) through local authority placement; and
- (b) through self-placement.
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Viscount Ullswater)The latest figures show that 4,330 households accepted as statutorily homeless by English local authorities were in temporary bed and breakfast accommodation on 31 December 1994. Information about the number of people who have placed themselves in bed and breakfast accommodation is not held centrally.
§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are satisfied with the general standard of cooking facilities in bed and breakfast accommodation for the homeless.
§ Viscount UllswaterLocal authorities must, by law, have regard to the Homelessness Code of Guidance issued by the Secretary of State, which advises that bed and breakfast hotels used as temporary accommodation must conform to the regulations on standards for houses in multiple occupation.
§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
What legal controls there are over service charges in bed and breakfast accommodation for the homeless.
§ Viscount UllswaterThere are no legal controls over charges which landlords can make for bed and breakfast accommodation, but there are limits on the amount of housing benefit payable to claimants in such accommodation. Housing benefit is generally only payable in relation to accommodation-related services.
§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will consider a licensing system for bed and breakfast accommodation for the homeless.
§ Viscount UllswaterMost bed and breakfast hotels fall within the statutory definition of a house in multiple occupation. Following a recent consultation exercise, the Government are considering whether to introduce a licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation.
§ Earl Russellasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have any information on the average length of stay in bed and breakfast accommodation for the homeless, and on the destinations of those who leave it.
§ Viscount UllswaterPreliminary findings from a research evaluation of the 1991 Homelessness Code of Guidance indicate that, in those local authorities reporting use of bed and breakfast hotels as temporary116WA accommodation for households accepted under the homelessness legislation, the average length of stay was estimated as eight weeks. We do not have information about the destinations of households who leave bed and breakfast accommodation.