Portsmouth City Council has outlined progress in the second year of its homelessness strategy, helping prevent nearly 300 people from becoming homeless last year.
An update highlights work delivered over the past 12 months, including earlier interventions to stop people losing their homes and improved support for those with complex needs.
The report detailed ongoing efforts to enhance collaboration between housing, health and voluntary sector partners, with an emphasis on identifying residents at risk of homelessness sooner.
Officers said preventing homelessness remained the authority’s “top priority”, with services increasingly focused on early help rather than crisis response.
In 2023, the council recorded 192 homelessness preventions. That rose to 212 in 2024. By 2025, the figure had climbed to 292.
Demand for homelessness support remains high, driven by pressures including the cost of living and a shortage of affordable housing. The update acknowledged the strain this has placed on temporary accommodation, both in terms of availability and cost.
Despite these challenges, the council said it had continued to reduce reliance on unsuitable forms of temporary accommodation and was working to secure more stable, long-term housing options for households.
The strategy also focuses on improving outcomes for rough sleepers, with targeted outreach and tailored support plans designed to help individuals off the streets and into sustainable accommodation. Closer joint working with health services was highlighted as a key strand of that approach.
Some 509 households were in temporary accommodation (TA) on 1 January this year, similar to levels in October 2024.
The number of households dropped to 445 in March 2025, but increased demand and a “lack of move-on options” has led to higher occupancy.
Families still face significant challenges, with 341 families in TA on 1 January 2026 compared to around 275 on New Year’s Day in 2025.
The update forms part of a multi-year homelessness and rough sleeping strategy, tackling root causes while ensuring timely support for those losing their homes. Members will continue scrutinising delivery against objectives, with further progress reports scheduled for the next phase of the council’s plan.
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