A council has announced it plans to install four emergency accommodation pods in Skegness for rough sleepers.

East Lindsey District Council (ELDC) has confirmed the self-contained units, measuring 8ft by 6ft, include a toilet, wash basin and bed. The pods will also be heated and have solar battery power.

In a report to councillors, external, ELDC said the number of rough sleepers in its district has increased from 167 for the whole of 2023/24 to 152 in the first nine months of 2024/25.

The local authority will now spend £70,000 on the shelters to be used by single men and women and also includes those who may not be able to access other forms of emergency shelter because of “complex needs” such as addiction.

The council said said the pods would be a “a stepping stone towards more permanent and secure accommodation” and those using them would be required to engage with local homeless services.

The location for the Skegness pods has yet to be decided. They have already been used in other parts of the country including coastal resorts in Devon and Cornwall.