RISING numbers of people are seeking assistance to avoid homelessness in Christchurch as new legislation looks set to put more financial pressure on local authorities.

For the 12 months up to September 2017, a total of 748 households contacted Christchurch Borough Council for support.

A council led forum held last month with a number of agencies involved with tackling homelessness, including police, social workers and food banks, discussed the issue in detail.

The meeting was seen as a helpful opportunity for the council to network and work together with other public bodies.

The Homelessness Prevention Act, which is set to be implemented from April next year, will give new responsibilities to local authorities including a duty to prevent homelessness.

Other public bodies will have a duty to refer clients to the council if the client agrees, while the client has a duty to cooperate to the agreed action plan and tasks they have to undertake to help themselves.

David Barnes, Christchurch and East Dorset Councils' strategic director, said “There were a total of three households in bed and breakfast accommodation, according to the latest quarterly figures for Christchurch. Over the course of the last 12 months, to September 2017, a total of 748 households in Christchurch contacted the council for homelessness prevention assistance.

“These numbers are increasing and in Christchurch there is a lower than average availability of private rented and social housing stock available to the council, so homelessness prevention is becoming increasingly difficult."

At the forum event, it was said the council is setting up a new IT system for clients and referring agencies, and a new post had been made to build relationships with private rental agencies and landlords.

The council predicts a 20 per cent increase in client approaches through the provision of the new act.

However, they are 'in a good position to meet the demands of the legislation'.

“The new Homelessness Prevention Act places additional duties on councils to prevent homelessness and this will inevitably place additional financial pressures on already tight budgets," Mr Barnes added.

"The council has prepared a detailed action plan in response to the requirements of the legislation, but the full impacts will not be fully known until the legislation takes effect in 2018.”