Cannock Chase Council is preparing to purchase three properties to expand temporary accommodation across the district, following a Government grant of £325,200. One of the homes will be designated for families under the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP).
Cabinet members are scheduled to meet on Thursday, August 20, to approve the expenditure of the grant, which comes from the Local Authority Housing Fund 4 (LAHF 4) allocation. The authority is also seeking supplementary funding of approximately £379,000 from unallocated council capital reserves to cover the acquisitions and necessary refurbishment work, bringing the combined total allocated in the capital programme for 2026/27 to £705,000.
Rising demand for temporary accommodation
According to a cabinet report, since January 2026, the council has had an average of 41 households placed in temporary accommodation at the end of each month. The report states: "Since January 2026, we have had on average 41 households placed in temporary accommodation at the end of each month, which demonstrates a requirement for additional temporary accommodation units."
The report adds: "Whilst the majority of our demand is from single homeless applicants, we have seen families accessing the service who are finding it more difficult to access long-term housing. Local authorities can only use bed and breakfast accommodation to house families for a maximum of six weeks."
Details of the Afghan Resettlement Programme element
In December 2025, Cannock Chase District Council submitted a bid for LAHF 4, seeking fixed capital and revenue funding to provide temporary accommodation alongside a minimum of one unit of housing for families under the ARP. The ARP offers a safe and legal route to relocation for individuals who supported UK efforts or are vulnerable, granting them indefinite leave to remain with full access to public funds.
The cabinet report explains: "Families will be settled into the accommodation and, should they come to move on, the property will revert to temporary accommodation for our homeless duties."
The council has received a capital allocation of £325,200 to deliver two units of temporary accommodation and one unit for resettlement housing in 2026-2027. The grant comprises £87,400 per property, based on 40% of the median property price in Cannock Chase, and £21,000 per property to account for other costs, such as refurbishment and conveyancing.
Funding gap and property costs
Recent market research indicates that the average cost of two- and three-bedroom properties, including estimated renovation costs, in Cannock Chase is £235,000. The council is requesting capital funding of an additional £126,600 per property to cover the purchase, refurbishment, and other costs associated with buying each property. Any unspent allocation will be returned to the general fund.
