Use of temporary accommodation in England

Ms McDonagh put the following motion to the Backbench Business Committee:

That this house notes with concern the increased use by Local Authorities of temporary accommodation for 77,240 homeless families in priority need, including 120,540 children or expected children; further notes more than a quarter of these households have been placed in temporary accommodation in a different local government area; notes the draft consultation ‘Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities’; further notes the pressure on Local Authorities and increasing demands that they face and as a result of these pressures calls on the Government to: a) provide a framework for monitoring and enforcement to ensure the quality and location of temporary accommodation; b) require that local authorities appoint a designated officer to be informed of the arrival of homeless families in their area; c) ensure that homeless families have appropriate contact with health, education and social services whilst in temporary accommodation.

Local housing authorities in England use temporary accommodation for homeless households while they are conducting inquiries into applications and, increasingly, for those households that qualify for assistance, pending an offer of more permanent housing. The numbers placed in temporary accommodation have increased since 2011. There are particular concerns about the number of families with children in B&B style accommodation, and those placed outside of their local areas (out-of-borough placements). Out-of-borough placements increased by 248% between March 2011 and March 2017.