HOMELESS families in Craven are waiting up to eight months to be rehoused.

Craven Housing's service improvement manager Michael Hewson revealed in a report to board members that families faced a long wait in a homeless hostel before moving into new homes.

The figures covered a six-month period from April - the start of the financial year - to September 2005.

Mr Hewson said: "Four such households have been rehoused this year (up to September 30, 2005) and they spent an average of 246 days (just over eight months) in temporary accommodation.

"We currently have five households to whom we have a full duty to secure permanent accommodation in the homeless hostel. They have been there for an average of 153 days (approximately five months).

"Of these nine cases, eight are households with children and one is a single person under 18."

Mr Hewson also stated in the report that the homeless hostel was operating at full capacity and was predominantly taken up by families with children.

He explained: "The pressure from the families with children means there is a shortage of temporary accommodation for single people and couples who are vulnerable and in priority need.

"For these client groups, bed and breakfast accommodation is often all that can be provided."

The report looked into Craven Housing's homelessness and housing service.

The Skipton-based housing association has provided the service since it took over Craven District Council's housing stock in March 2003.

The figures showed the number of people accessing the service was 18 per cent less than the year before and 50 decisions had been made on homeless applications.

Mr Hewson's report also highlighted a rise in the number of names on the housing register.

A total of 657 were on the waiting list in September last year - 76 of whom were current tenants seeking a transfer.

Between April and September the average number of new requests for housing per month was 59, compared with 55 the previous year.

There were 20 minority ethnic families on the housing register, representing 2.64 per cent of all applicants - above the association's target of 1.9 per cent.

The tally of applicants from outside Craven was 95 - the equivalent of 12.6 per cent of all fresh applications.

By the end of September 23 hopeful tenants had been deleted, suspended or deferred from the waiting list - two of these for anti-social behaviour and the other 21 for issues such as rent arrears or self-deferrals.

o The housing association has agreed its rent increase for 2006/07.

During the next financial year the average rent will increase by £2.33 from £54.50 to £56.83 per week (4.3 per cent). The smallest rise is £1.10 and the largest will be £4 a week.

New assured tenants already pay "target" rents and, therefore, their rents will see a 3.2 per cent hike in line with Housing Corporation guidelines.