A HUGE rise in homelessness has left Basildon Council “looking down the barrel of a gun”, bosses have admitted.

Town bosses say they are “looking down the barrel of a gun” as they battle to find homes for people left homeless in Basildon. 

Data has revealed 170 households in Basildon were estimated to be homeless at the last year count. 

This was a huge increase on the up from 124 the year before - a 37 per cent increase. 

Figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities figures showed they were owed a relief duty, which requires housing authorities to help them secure accommodation.

There were also 46 households threatened with homelessness, and nine of these nine of faced losing their home after receiving a Section 21 “no-fault” eviction notice.

Section 21 notices allow landlords to evict a tenant with just two months’ notice, without having to give a reason.

Andrew Schrader, councillor responsible for housing and estate renewal at Basildon Council, said the council was taking “robust action” to help those who found themselves homeless. 

He said: “We are certainly looking down the barrel of a gun in terms of the huge increase in our use of temporary housing to meet our homelessness relief objections, mostly nightly lets and very expensive hotel and B&B accommodation, with the budgetary pressures that come with that.

“We recently asked the LGA to help us review our Housing Needs Service, particularly around homelessness and rough sleeping.

“We are fully aware of these challenges and are taking robust action to address them via our Homelessness Task Force and the action plan that has been drawn up in response to the LGA Peer Challenge.”

But Mr Schrader admitted warned there were not enough homes in the borough to find housing for those who needed it. He added: “We either need to reduce the demand for housing, or increase the supply, or both.

“In terms of increasing supply, we have our HRA house-building programme and Sempra Homes. We are looking at how we can speed up the turnaround of void properties and re-let them more quicklyer.

“We are looking to release some of our sheltered housing for general needs housing. We are looking at our allocations scheme to see if that is right and fit for purpose.

“But prevention is better than cure, which is why we are also looking at ways in which we can prevent homelessness through early interventions.”

The data also showed there were 20 single parents, and 11 couples with dependent children, homeless in Basildon between January and March.