THE number of households submitting homeless applications in Christchurch is the highest it has been for three years - and statistics have only been collected for nine months of the current year.

Figures from the latest homeless statistical and performance update of the Christchurch and East Dorset Housing Service (CEDHS) show from April 1 to December 31, 2017 49 'homeless' decisions were made by officers.

This is up from 44 for the 12-month period from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017

The update states that the three main reasons for homelessness in Christchurch are the ending of assured shorthold tenancies, friends/other relatives no long willing to accommodate applicants or a violent relationship split.

For the service homeless 'broadly' refers to someone who does not have accommodation that they legal have a right to occupy, which is accessible and available to them, and would be reasonable for them to continue to live in.

The number of accepted cases for the current year up to December 31, 2017 is equal to the total number of households from the whole of 2016/17.

Despite increase in applications and accepted households, the number of rough sleepers in the borough halved from the previous year when a count was undertaken in November.

At the end of 2017, 12 more households (30) with a homeless duty from the council were in temporary accommodation than at the end of March 2017.

The number of households placed in a bed and breakfast, which is seen as a last resort in an emergency, was already more than over the nine months from April 2017 than the previous 12-month period - 24 compared to 22.

For the CEDHS the number of approaches regarding homelessness is already 110 per cent for the above nine months in comparison to the year preceding them.

When delivering the budget for the financial year, Cllr David Flagg, leader of Christchurch Borough Council, raised the subject of homelessness.

He said: "Preparations are in place for the implementation of the Homelessness Reduction Act in April 2018.

"This will have a major impact across all councils and the proactive approach to preventing homelessness we already have in place at Christchurch will stand us in good stead.

"We are delivering more housing in line with our local targets but we need to do more as demand for housing continues to outstrip supply."