Government must tackle crisis in temporary accommodation, say MPs

A new report by MPs finds record high numbers of children living in unsuitable, temporary accommodation.

The report, commissioned by the cross-party Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee, points to the rising costs to local councils of providing this accommodation - local authorities spent a combined £2.29 billion on temporary accommodation in 2023/24 – with over 164,000 homeless children currently living in temporary accommodation.

The report also outlines the damaging impact of unsuitable accommodation to the development, wellbeing, education, and health of children and flags safeguarding concerns around instances of children and families sharing communal facilities with strangers, including those with a history of domestic abuse.

The report points to egregious hazards present in some temporary accommodation, including serious damp and mould, excessive cold, and mice infestations, and overcrowding which results in cases of older children sharing beds with their parents or siblings, and children without the floor space to crawl or learn to walk.

The report also states that some temporary accommodation sourced by local authorities is of such poor quality that it may pose a severe risk to children's health. The Committee highlighting the “shocking” data that temporary accommodation contributed to the deaths of at least 74 children, of whom 58 were under the age of one, in the last five years.

Florence Eshalomi, Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee said: “It is utterly shameful that so many families are living in B&Bs, bedsits and hotels that are completely unsuitable to their needs; having to travel for hours simply to get to school or work, not having basics like cots and radiator covers, not even having the space to learn to walk or crawl. When 74 children had their deaths linked to temporary accommodation in the last five years, it’s clear we need to act urgently to bring an end to this crisis before any more young lives are ruined or lost.

“The devastating reality is that over 164,000 children are stuck in a situation where they don’t have a permanent roof over their own head, and that many families will be stuck in so-called temporary accommodation for years. This isn’t temporary and it isn’t acceptable. We cannot expect children to have the best outcomes in life if they spend so long being forced to live out of suitcases and without basics like a private kitchen and bathroom.

“Our committee is clear that more must be done to ensure children do not fall through the cracks into appalling conditions, including by carrying out regular checks on the quality of accommodation and making safeguarding a top priority when placing families.

“Beyond the appalling impact on children and families, this crisis doesn’t deliver value for money for taxpayers. Councils in London alone are spending £4 million a day on this form of accommodation, while billions are spent nationwide every year. That’s why our solution to the housing crisis must include enough social housing and genuinely affordable homes to ensure every child has a permanent place to call home.”

The Committee is now recommending some key changes to current processes around temporary accommodation, chiefly that all local authorities in England carry out mandatory inspections of housing before it is first used as temporary accommodation, and whenever new residents are moved in. Currently many councils do not carry out regular inspections of the conditions of temporary accommodation used to house families, which the report states is “unacceptable”.

They also suggest establishing a formalised notification system, so that a child’s school and GP are alerted when they move into temporary accommodation. The report highlights that currently schools, GPs, and other public bodies are often unaware when children in their care become homeless or change school due to a move into temporary accommodation and this prevents schools offering additional support. The Committee calls for the Government to bring about a more joined-up approach between public services to support families experiencing homelessness.

They say the Government should also introduce a new requirement for local authorities to notify a host authority before they make an out of area placement. Rising demand for temporary accommodation has led some local authorities to resort to relocating families, placing them in temporary accommodation 'out-of-area'. The distance of these placements can be significant: the Committee heard cases which included a family from Camden being placed in North Manchester, and a family from Oldham being placed in Hastings. The report finds that out-of-area placements have a devastating impact on families, leaving them far from their extended family, friends, and support network, and causing disruption to children’s education. Some local authorities are currently falling short of their legal duties with regards to out of area placements, by failing to notify the host authority appropriately.