Households with dependant children are preparing to spend Christmas Day without a permanent place to live. 

A total of 36 households in Purbeck, 30 of which have dependant children, will be living in temporary accommodation this Christmas. The numbers have increased by almost 20 per cent since Christmas last year when 29 households were living in temporary accommodation. 

Currently, there are 615 households on Purbeck District Council’s housing register. With only 135 housing association homes built in Purbeck since 2012, the district is not keeping up with demand. 

Cllr Laura Miller, housing spokesman for the district council, said: “With families being made homeless and a shortage of housing association homes we are having to place increasing numbers of people in temporary accommodation.

“Many people think if you are homeless you are sleeping rough on the streets. However, there are families living in short-term accommodation who do not have anywhere to call home this Christmas.

“The council’s housing needs team works hard to provide accommodation for people but struggles to keep up with the demand for homes in an area where few affordable homes are available to rent.”

The council now has to find temporary solutions to ensure people have a roof over their head. Voluntary organisations are helping to ease the pressure by collecting food, gifts, furniture and money to help people without somewhere to call home this Christmas.

Cllr Miller added: “We are so grateful for all the work local organisations do to help people vulnerably housed people, especially at Christmas.”