A HOMELESSNESS crisis in Eastleigh is sending council costs through the roof - with this year's borough budget for bed and breakfast accommodation already used up.

Now civic chiefs are being warned that the situation is likely to get worse and housing officers are even considering asking families to rent a room to the homeless.

In a report due to go before Eastleigh council's executive cabinet this week, head of housing services Amanda Jobling says although the council is only into the second quarter of the financial year, the £30,000 budget earmarked for bed and breakfast accommodation for the homeless has already been spent - and costs will continue to rise.

Up to the end of July, the council had already spent £46,116 because of the increase in the number of families knocking on the council's door for temporary shelter.

A Whitehall shake-up over those who now qualify as homeless - including 16 and 17-year-olds - has pushed up the demand for B&B.

Four years ago the council had to find bed and breakfast for five households, the following year the figure was four but that climbed to 16 two years ago and 35 last year. But so far this year, 41 households have already been placed in B&B.

The report says that in order to minimise the use of bed and breakfast accommodation, there has to be sufficient new housing development to provide affordable homes.

But the provision of affordable accommodation from the year 2005 was largely dependent on large sites programmed in the local plan being developed.

Meanwhile, the council will be appointing a new homelessness prevention worker who will be responsible for dealing with 16 and 17-year-olds and also act as a mediator to try to prevent homelessness. The council is also acquiring some new temporary accommodation for homeless households and is also investigating ways of offering private landlords an incentive to keep accommodation for rent.

Executive councillors will be told: "It is possible that we can try to investigate the possibilities of implementing a Rent A Room scheme. This involves the local authority placing a person with a family who are willing to take part in the scheme." But the report warns: "There are a number of difficulties and obstacles involved and, as yet, no further progress can be reported here."

The housing chief's report also tells councillors: "The council cannot avoid its statutory responsibilities to homelessness.

"There will still be many occasions when B&B will be required and therefore it is anticipated that there will be further substantial expenditure on B&B before the end of the current financial year."