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About temporary accommodation | I need accommodation now | Âé¶¹¸ßÇå City Council

Âé¶¹¸ßÇå

About temporary accommodation

If you have nowhere to stay tonight, are eligible, and have priority need we may be able to place you in temporary accommodation. This is sometimes called emergency accommodation.

You should try and find your own accommodation. This could be self-funded temporary accommodation or staying with family and friends. You can also look at other housing options such as privately renting, housing associations, or sheltered housing.

If temporary accommodation is provided by us, it is important to understand: 

  • the average length of stay in temporary accommodation is currently around 2.5 years
  • there is a severe shortage of housing in Âé¶¹¸ßÇå
  • demand for housing is much higher than supply especially for affordable, self-contained accommodation

What type of temporary accommodation you may be offered

We use a range of accommodation types as temporary accommodation. Any offer of temporary accommodation depends on your circumstances and what is available at the time.

This means you:

  • may have no cooking facilities
  • may have to use shared bathroom or kitchen facilities
  • may have no laundry facilities
  • may be placed in accommodation outside of Âé¶¹¸ßÇå
  • are very likely to have to find other accommodation for any pets ( has advice on finding a tenancy that accepts pets but are unlikely to be able to help with temporary accommodation)
  • may have costs to pay for travel, laundry and food

We cannot ensure that accommodation will be close to family, wider support networks or your children's schools.

We strongly recommend you find and secure your own accommodation rather than us placing you in temporary accommodation. This is so you can choose the type of property and its location, rather than us making this decision for you. 

Costs to you of temporary accommodation

You will be responsible for the cost of temporary accommodation, even if it’s a hotel. You may also face extra costs connected to travel, laundry and food.  

Storage of belongings

You may also need to pay for storage of your belongings. If you can't arrange this yourself we can do it for you. If you cannot afford the cost at the time, we can help to arrange a payment plan. We recommend you look at organising storage of belongings yourself as this could work out cheaper for you in the long term.


Last updated: 9 July 2025