Illegal Use of B&Bs To House Homeless Soars By 800%

The use of bed and breakfasts to house homeless families beyond the legal time limit has risen by 800% since the coalition took office – with a third of the country's councils unlawfully placing adults and children in B&Bs for more than six weeks, new figures reveal.  An analysis shows that local authorities across England are now spending on average up to £650 a week to keep people off the streets. Freedom of information requests by Labour to 325 councils, to which 242 responded, reveal that 125 had resorted to placing destitute families in hotel rooms for six weeks or more since April 2010. This figure challenges claims by ministers that only a "small number" of town halls put families in bed and breakfast accommodation beyond the legal limit.  Read more on the Guardian website.