Waltham Forest Council has spent nearly £24 million rehousing homeless people in short-term accommodation outside of the borough since 2009, according to new figures.

The authority, which has a housing waiting list of 24,000 people, has the third highest spend on placing vulnerable families in B&Bs outside of the borough, according to The Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

Statistics collected in its four-month study indicate that another £8,075,000 is predicted to be spent in 2013/14 on B&Bs elsewhere, a cost which has doubled since 2009/10, when the amount was £4,033,546.

However, the borough is also a destination for vulnerable people being rehoused by neighbouring boroughs, reports the Bureau.

It names Waltham Forest as the third most popular place in London for other councils to rehouse their homeless, with 1,810 temporary accommodation homes and B&Bs being secured by other boroughs.

Of those, 929 were paid for by Newham Council, 293 by Redbridge Council and 248 by Islington Council.

Councils have a legal responsibility to rehouse homeless people, but the increased spend on doing so comes as private rent costs rise and benefit cuts take effect.

More to follow.