Hotels support key workers and homeless during pandemic

Bridgend County Borough Council is thanking local hotels for their support in providing safe accommodation for key workers and homeless people during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

The authority and its partners have liaised with the owners of hotels and bed-and-breakfast accommodation throughout the county borough to provide temporary housing for key workers in order to reduce the risk of exposing their families to the virus, and also for vulnerable and homeless people who might otherwise face having to sleep rough during the crisis.

Working alongside partners such as The Wallich, Pobl and other local housing associations and voluntary organisations, the council is providing additional support and advice covering a range of situations which people may have found themselves in due to the pandemic.

We are grateful to local businesses for supporting the fight against Covid-19. As well as helping key workers and some of the county borough’s most vulnerable residents, this move is providing hotels with economic support during the crisis.

This is helping to safeguard the well-being of key workers and homeless people by using available hotel and bed-and-breakfast accommodation, which is in line with national directives and covers the entire county borough.

While it is disappointing to note there have been ill-informed local rumours that newly or early-released prisoners are being housed in areas such as Porthcawl, I can confirm that there is no truth to this. Anyone can become homeless, especially former military personnel and young people who have left the care system, and the council and its partners will continue to do all that we can to support them.

Councillor Dhanisha Patel, Cabinet Member for Well-Being and Future Generations

For an initial assessment of your housing needs, use the council’s online Jigsaw facility or contact the council on 01656 643643. You can also find out more about the housing register or get advice on housing benefit.