The provision of furnished accommodation by local authorities

Providing furnished accommodation is one of the means by which local authorities can provide a benefit to their residents in response to the government's attempts to limit social security expenditure. The provision of furniture can also be used to increase lettings in hard to let areas and to reduce the turnover of property. This paper describes the spread of furnished lettings among different authorities and considers in detail the introduction of part-furnished accommodation in Newcastle upon Tyne. The service provided in Newcastle is evaluated using the local authority's tenancy records and interviews with tenants. The results showed clear benefits to both the council and its tenants in providing furnished accommodation.