More than a dozen homeless people in Manchester are set to lose their places in temporary accommodation, the council has confirmed.

The authority says it has served 17 people in temporary homes with notices to leave after they were assessed as not being ‘in priority need’. Those affected have 28 days to make new living arrangements.

One man who is affected by the decision says it has been ‘left on me’. The young adult, who is staying in Newton Heath, has asked the Manchester Evening News to remain anonymous.

READ MORE: Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community

“I am concerned,” he said on Thursday evening (May 11), after he learned of the decision. “It’s been left on me.

“The house worker said it came from the higher ups within the council. I am part of a programme called Future You. I have to call CentrePoint tomorrow.”

The man also said that staff told him he could be sleeping rough if he could not find new living arrangements in the 28-day notice period, but council officials have assured those hit by the decision that ‘no one will end up on the streets’. Bosses also say that they will work the 17 people to ensure they ‘suitable’ offers for housing in the private rental sector.

Today (May 12), deputy council leader Joanna Midgley explained the decision, which she said was necessary to avoid an ‘unsustainable’ situation.

In a statement to the MEN, she said: "All councils have a legal duty to secure temporary accommodation for people facing homelessness who are assessed as being vulnerable, who are referred to as those in priority need.

"There are a great many such cases in Manchester and we need to ensure that our temporary shared accommodation, on which there is considerable pressure, is being used by those who need it most and to whom we have this duty. This includes freeing up accommodation for vulnerable people being housed in unsuitable B&B accommodation, something which we are committed to reducing.

"In a small number of current cases, 17, where people presenting as homeless were initially assessed as being in priority need but this has since been established not to be the case, notice has been given to find new accommodation.

"We are ensuring offers of suitable accommodation in the private rented sector are made to them and no one who engages with us on this is facing the prospect of eviction. No one will end up on the streets.

"While we recognise that moving is unsettling for those directly affected, support is available and it is important to remember that this approach is to ensure that the most vulnerable are not denied much-needed accommodation which is being used by someone who is not in priority-need.

"All councils in the country only have a duty to provide temporary accommodation for those classed in priority need and it would be absolutely unsustainable to do otherwise.”

READ NEXT: