FI16827

Request

1. Use of temporary accommodation

For each of the following calendar years – 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 – please provide:

a.              The total number of temporary accommodation placements or bookings made

b.              Of these, the total number of placements or bookings made with private providers

c.              The total number of private providers of temporary accommodation that the council made payments to

d.              The total amount paid by the council to private providers of temporary accommodation

2. Costs
For the calendar year 2025, please provide:

a.        The average monthly cost of temporary accommodation per person, and please provide this separately for:

  • Accommodation provided by private sector providers
  • Accommodation owned or managed by the council

b.     The average monthly amount charged to residents for utilities and/or service charges in private sector temporary accommodation, where these costs are charged in addition to the accommodation cost covered by the local authority.

3. Largest private providers
Please provide the following information for the three private providers that received the highest total payments from the council for temporary accommodation in 2025:

  • Provider name
  • Total amount paid to each provider
  • The number of accommodation sites operated by each provider
  • A breakdown of the types of accommodation used (for example, number of hostel placements, B&B placements, nightly paid accommodation, or other categories, where recorded)
  • The average monthly charge per placement (or equivalent measure of cost) for each provider

Response

1. The Council moved to our current software system in 2023, and only live data was carried across therefore the following information is for 2024 and 2025. 

  • 2024 – 322 and 2025 – 358
  • 2024 – 310 and 2025 – 351
  • 2024 – 19 and 2025 – 16

2. This information can be found on the Council’s website as part of the payment to suppliers’ data at: https://www.dover.gov.uk/Corporate-Information/Financial-Information/Payments-to-Suppliers/Payments-to-Suppliers.aspx.

 3. As follows: 

  • £844.61 per placement per month for accommodation provided by private sector providers.  The Council does not have any owned or managed accommodation that is used.
  • The Council do not hold information regarding utilities charged by the private providers.

4. As follows: 

  • Paramount Independent Property Services/Bluebells Guest House/Annabels Guest House
  • This information is available via the payment to suppliers’ data linked above.
  • This information is not held as we spot purchase the TA.
  • This information is not held.
  • This information is available via the payment to suppliers’ data linked above.