Somerset Council is pumping nearly £3.4 million into buying properties across the county in a bid to get struggling families out of bed-and-breakfasts and into proper homes.

More than 12,000 people are currently on the housing register in Somerset, with demand for emergency housing soaring. Now the council is dipping into its housing surplus to buy up to 15 homes and turn them into temporary accommodation — offering a lifeline for those with nowhere else to go.

The cash comes from an underspend in the council's Housing Revenue Account, which had £3,337,000 left over at the end of the financial year. That money will now be redirected into a fast-track property purchase programme.

Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts said the reserves were "far higher than we need" and confirmed homes would be bought wherever pressure is greatest — not just in areas covered by the old district councils. "We want to provide a strong, stable environment so that families can get back on their feet," she told colleagues on Monday.

The council says the worst pressure is in the west and north of Somerset, and homes will be snapped up where supply allows. Kirsty Larkin, service director for housing, said families currently spend between six and nine months in temporary accommodation — often much longer for single people.

Councillor Heather Shearer backed the move and called for more support for people coming out of care or prison. "We don't have enough housing," she warned.

The proposals will go before the communities scrutiny committee in Taunton on 17 September, with a final decision expected at the full council meeting in Bridgwater on 25 September.

More local stories:

• Somerset homebuyers need £56k salary as affordability crisis deepens – rising house prices outpace wages in Somerset.
• More than 1,700 kids in Street, Glastonbury, Wells, Shepton and Frome hit by two-child benefit cap – charities warn impact on low-income families.

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