Councils Failing To Accept the Homeless

The local government watchdog has expressed concern at the high number of complaints about authorities which refuse to accept homelessness applications from people in need. The Local Government Ombudsman said it received hundreds of complaints each year about councils indulging in ‘gate keeping’ practices. ‘The large number of complaints we continue to see is of significant concern,’ ombudsman Dr Jane Martin added. LGO figures show a slight increase in the number of complaints in this category from 325 in 2007/08 to 332 in 2009/10. Read more on Inside Housing.