Health & Lifestyle | Posted on October 15th, 2025 | return to news

Dorset Council working hard to prevent homelessness

The council has prevented 1,290 households from becoming homeless since April 2024.

Nearly 1,300 households have avoided homelessness in the Dorset Council area since April 2024. That’s the equivalent to the number of households in the parish of Alderholt in East Dorset.

Dorset Council marked World Homeless Day on 10 October by releasing figures showing how it has tackled homelessness in recent years.

To raise awareness of the council’s Housing Advice helpline number, messages were projected onto the council-owned temporary accommodation site, Hardy House, in Portland, which officially opened in early October.

The illuminated sign read: “We’ve prevented 1290 households from becoming homeless. We could help you too. Call now on 01305 221000.”

The helpline number was set up in collaboration with charities Citizens Advice and Shelter. It offers a range of services including mediation between tenants and landlords, income maximisation support and free advocacy at court.

The council prevented a total of 1,290 households from becoming homeless between 1 April 2024 and 30 September 2025. The number of households the council has prevented from losing their homes has steadily risen over the last three years.

Between 1 April 2023 and 30 September 2024, 953 households were prevented from becoming homeless. And from 1 April 2022 to 24 September 2023, 525 households were prevented from becoming homeless.

Cllr Gill Taylor, portfolio holder for Housing and Health, said: “The illumination acts as a reminder to Dorset residents that we are here to help with housing cost concerns and can offer free, confidential and non-judgemental advice.

“Our triage team who work on the Housing Advice helpline are keen to hear from anyone who thinks they are at risk of losing their home as soon as they can, so we have a better chance of helping them to resolve their situation with a positive outcome.

“We hope by working with us or one of our partners, residents feel empowered to take positive action and the result keeps people in their own home, allowing them to remain in their own community and surrounded by their support network.
“Don’t delay. Act today.”

Visit https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/w/worried-about-losing-your-home for more information about the helpline.