About 25 people sleep rough in Dorset, most in Weymouth, Bridport and Lyme Regis. The council plans 32 places by Christmas, six of them on a Weymouth bus.
About 25 people are sleeping rough across Dorset, with the most in Weymouth, Bridport and Lyme Regis. Dorset Council says every one of them will be offered a safe place to stay before Christmas.
A council paper to councillors on Monday 2 November sets out 32 places to do it. The figure of 25 people comes from the council’s news release the next day.
A bed on a bus in Weymouth
The centre of the plan is a double-decker bus at Weymouth Park and Ride. The charity The Bus Shelter is bringing it back into service as a night assessment hub:
- the lower deck will be used for assessments and support planning
- the upper deck will sleep up to six people
Support will come from local partners including the Lantern Trust and Alongside, the council says.
Where the 32 places are
The briefing paper lists five kinds of accommodation:
| Accommodation | Purpose | Places |
|---|---|---|
| Night assessment centre, The Bus Shelter, Weymouth | Assessment and support planning | 6 |
| Bed and breakfast, Weymouth | Emergency accommodation | 10 |
| Spot purchase, Lyme Regis and Swanage | Flexible emergency accommodation | 3 (not yet confirmed) |
| Private rented tenancies | Settled homes, with rent in advance | 4 |
| Direct lets through the housing register | Permanent homes | 9 |
| Total | 32 |
The council is also looking for bed and breakfast rooms for people with health needs or pets. It is asking private landlords to take tenants through its rent in advance and tenancy support schemes.
The money
Dorset has £1.1m of government money over three years for the programme, the paper says. That is £703,000 for running costs and £438,000 for buildings and equipment. It pays for staff, accommodation and work to stop people losing their homes in the first place.
The Deputy Prime Minister wrote to councils on 29 October to say the national pot would be doubled, with more money in 2027/28 and 2028/29. The paper says Dorset has not yet been told what its share will be.
The council’s final plans for this first phase must reach the government by 1 December.
Cllr Gill Taylor, Cabinet Member for Health and Housing, said: “Nobody should have to sleep rough.” She said the aim was “not just a bed for the night but the support they need to rebuild their lives”.
What it means for you
- If you see someone sleeping rough, you can tell the national StreetLink service, which passes the details to the local outreach team.
- If you are about to lose your home, contact Dorset Council’s homeless help service as early as you can. The programme puts money into prevention as well as beds.
- If you are a landlord, the council wants to hear from you about its rent in advance scheme.
In September we reported on the council’s homelessness funding for 2026 to 2027.
Have your say