Copeland Council has seen a surge in need for help from residents seeking advice on avoiding homelessness.

Members will be updated at today's full council meeting by councillor Andy Pratt, portfolio holder for environment, place and inclusive communities, on the recent work of the authority's homelessness prevention service.

Since March this year, the council's team has seen an increase of more than 500 per cent in residents coming to the service.

Much of this contact has been from individuals seeking advice on housing, and from people afraid of losing their tenancies during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The team have also dealt with far more homeless people than over the same period last year - 27 compared to seven between April and August 2019.

The majority of the homeless individuals who have come to the council seeking help have been young single people or couples asked to leave by family or friends during lockdown.

Today's update from Mr Pratt to councillors added: "Often the cause of homelessness has been due to chaotic or risky behaviour.

"Of those people, all bar five have been permanently rehoused.

"Those five are people who are chaotic drug or alcohol users and whose behaviour needs to be managed in a supported environment.

"They are accommodated in temporary accommodation whilst a pathway for them is found."