Purpose

The Emergency Accommodation
Reduction Pilot (EARP) is a national MHCLG programme which was
initially launched in January 2025 with a £5m fund allocated
to support the 20 local authorities experiencing the highest
pressures in reducing their reliance on B&B accommodation for
homeless families.  The programme aims to increase operational
capacity and strengthen prevention pathways.

In November 2025, MHCLG announced
an uplift of £2.5m and confirmed that Tameside Housing Advice
had been selected to receive additional funding to undertake an
occupancy audit.  This decision was based on HCLIC data published
in June 2025, which recorded 10 or more households with children
placed in B&B accommodation beyond the statutory six-week
limit, and because Tameside was not included in the original pilot
cohort.

The grant provides £150,000
to carry out an audit to identify any voids, fraud, or irregular
arrangements, with the intention of freeing up units for households
currently placed in the most unsuitable forms of temporary
accommodation.

Content

 

(i)    
That the
Council approves the acceptance of £150,000 in grant funding
from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
(MHCLG) under the Emergency Accommodation Reduction
Pilot.

(ii)  
That the
Council approves the expenditure of this funding in accordance with
the requirements set out in the Revenue Grant Determination Notice
dated 30 January 2026.

(iii)
That
authority for the utilisation of the EARP funding is delegated to
the Strategic Director of Housing, Environment and Estates, and is
spent in line with the MHCLG‑approved
programme outline as set out in this report.

 

Reasons for the decision

To obtain approval to accept the
allocated funding and to ensure delivery against the intended
objectives as outlined in the report. 

Alternative options considered

The option to decline the grant
funding was considered but ultimately discounted, as temporary
accommodation continues to represent a significant organisational
risk.  A comprehensive audit review, along with
additional IT support, is required to support the effective
delivery of the temporary accommodation reduction
plan.