Adur District Council Sets Aside Extra £400,000 To Tackle Rising Homelessness

A West Sussex council has announced plans to increase spending to support people experiencing homelessness, describing it as its biggest financial pressure.

Adur District Council says councillors have backed an additional £400,000 in its draft budget to help deal with growing demand for homelessness services.

The authority says the cost of providing temporary accommodation now accounts for around one in every six pounds it receives.

The council says supporting local residents with nowhere to live is expected to remain a significant challenge over the coming year.

As part of the draft budget, Adur District Council is also planning what it describes as significant investment in waste, recycling and street cleansing.

A new food waste collection service is due to be rolled out to all households across the district during 2026/27.

Further investment is also planned for community and village centres, town areas and the protection of Adur’s coastline.

The council’s cabinet has recommended increasing council tax by 2.99 per cent – equivalent to less than 20 pence a week for the average Band D household.

The authority says the rise would help balance the budget while continuing to invest in local services.

Small increases of up to 3.5 per cent are also proposed for some charges, including on-street parking, venue hire and commercial waste collections.

The draft budget will be considered by full council at a public meeting on 26 February.