Herefordshire Council is set to invest £4.1 million over the next three years to help deliver more safe, suitable and affordable homes for some of the county’s most vulnerable residents.
The proposed Strategic Housing Three‑Year Capital Programme, covering the period from April 2026 to April 2029, is expected to be approved in late April 2026. The programme is designed to reduce homelessness, cut reliance on unsuitable temporary accommodation and support young people and care leavers as they move towards independent living.
The council says the investment will be highly targeted and flexible, enabling it to respond to immediate housing pressures while also delivering longer‑term benefits, such as bringing empty properties back into use.
At its core, the programme aims to:
- Reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness
- Decrease use of costly and unsuitable temporary accommodation
- Expand access to affordable homes for families with complex needs
- Support young people and care leavers into safe, independent living
A significant proportion of the funding (£2.25 million) will be used to increase the availability of council‑managed short‑term accommodation.
This investment will help create more suitable and cost‑effective housing options for larger families and households with complex needs.
Some families have spent extended periods living in unsuitable or out‑of‑area accommodation due to a lack of appropriate local options. The programme also supports the council’s new Homelessness Prevention Strategy, increasing the range and availability of short‑term accommodation to help prevent crisis situations from escalating.
Housing pressures in Herefordshire have intensified in recent years due to rising private rents, limited social housing availability and the wider cost‑of‑living crisis. The number of households placed in temporary accommodation has almost doubled since 2023, with the council providing temporary housing to 326 households during 2024/25 alone.
Another key strand of the programme focuses on tackling long‑term vacancy through a renewed Empty Properties Grant Scheme.
Under this scheme, owners of empty properties will be offered grants of up to £50,000 to renovate homes that have been vacant for extended periods, on the condition that they are made available at affordable rents.
The council says this approach will:
- Increase overall housing supply
- Help households move out of temporary accommodation
- Reduce reliance on hotels and emergency housing
By making better use of existing buildings, the programme aims to deliver new affordable homes more quickly than new‑build alternatives.
Supporting homeless young people and care leavers is a central priority within the programme.
Funding will be used to create new transitional housing for young people who are ready to move on from supported accommodation but are not yet able to live independently.
These homes will provide safe, stable environments where residents can develop the skills, confidence and resilience needed to manage their own tenancies in the future. The council aims to fund four dedicated properties, providing homes for at least eight young people as a minimum.
Councillor Graham Biggs, Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth at Herefordshire Council, said:
“There’s a recognised national shortage of suitable housing for some of the people who need it most – and we’re committed to investing to tackle the issue. Young people leaving care deserve the same opportunities in life as others, and that often starts with having a safe, stable and comfortable place to live. We owe it to them, to families facing very difficult situations, and to people who find themselves homeless, which can include veterans who have given so much for the country, to have the opportunity to live in suitable homes, in their own communities.
“This investment is another step towards improving the situation. More safe, suitable local housing creates alternatives to hotels and B&Bs, which are expensive and often unsuitable for families, and means more young people who need our support the most can start living more independently in safe, good quality accommodation. This investment can also make significant savings by reducing the use of B&Bs and hotels, and long term supported placements, delivering value for the taxpayer, and targeting support effectively for immediate and long-term impact.”
By combining short‑term accommodation provision, longer‑term affordable housing and targeted support for care leavers, the programme is designed to deliver practical, sustainable solutions that benefit individuals, families and the wider community.
Subject to approval later this month, the Strategic Housing Three‑Year Capital Programme will begin from April 2026, with delivery continuing through to April 2029.
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