LANDLORDS being unwilling to accept tenants on benefits and a lack of affordable accommodation have led to an increase in families needing help to avoid homelessness in Fareham.

Fareham Borough Council will discuss a review of homelessness in the area which shows that the number of households requiring assistance and alternative accommodation has increased.

Between September 2013-14 766 households in the borough were considered to be threatened with losing their homes, compared with 674 the previous year.

But of these, 202 went on to make a homelessness application from September 2013-14 - a huge rise on 122 in the previous year.

The average number of households in temporary accommodation in Fareham at any one time also rose from 93 in 2012-13 to 99 in 2013-14.

The report says: “The reason for the increase in the number of homelessness applications is due to the introduction of legislation enabling the homelessness duty to be discharged through an offer of accommodation in the private rented sector.

“Previously households were able to refuse offers of accommodation in the private rented sector, however since 2013 if an accepted homeless household refuses an offer of suitable private rented accommodation they have to make their own housing arrangements.

“The reason for the increase in the number of households requiring assistance to secure accommodation is due to the continuing difficulties households face in raising deposits, rent in advance, finding landlords willing to accept households in receipt of welfare benefits, and the general lack of affordable accommodation in the borough.”

The review will be discussed at a health and housing policy meeting at Fareham civic offices on Thursday.