London’s boroughs have been asked to commit to basic living standards in temporary accommodation as new analysis reveals the crisis is getting worse in almost every part of the capital.
By Kumail Jaffer, Local Democracy Reporter
London’s boroughs have been asked to commit to basic living standards in temporary accommodation as new analysis reveals the crisis is getting worse in almost every part of the capital.
Data published as part of London’s Poverty Profile and obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) shows that 24 of London’s 32 boroughs – equivalent to three-quarters – have seen an increase in the number of households in temporary accommodation year-on-year.
Overall, 76,000 households are now in temporary accommodation across London, an increase of ten per cent on the previous year. Two thirds of these households include children.
A new campaign has now called on every council in the capital to commit to ensuring all households in temporary accommodation have access to the ‘five basics’ – kitchen facilities, laundry facilities, storage space, WiFi or clear information about their situation.
Albinia Stanley, coordinator of the Fix the Five Basics campaign, told the LDRS: “Families in temporary accommodation are living without the basics the rest of us take for granted. Cooking facilities, laundry, Wi-Fi, storage, clear information: these are not big asks.
“Some London councils have already started delivering them. We’re calling on every candidate standing in May’s elections to pledge to fix the five basics in their borough. This is a chance to make a real difference.”
Faith is a mother of two who has lived in temporary accommodation since 2022. Her name has been changed to protect her identity.
She said: “Many people like me are raising their children without these basics for months or even years.
“Without these basics it’s hard to survive, let alone rebuild your life and get back on your feet.
“But it doesn’t have to be this way.”
Campaigners say that being deprived of any of the five basics can have a major impact on families, whether it be difficulty preparing meals, children being unable to complete homework without Wi-Fi, households falling into debt to store their belongings, or simply the anguish and confusions caused by a lack of clear information about their rights or when they will be moved on.
In Newham, the equivalent of six per cent of all households are now in temporary accommodation – the highest rate in the country and more than ten times the average for England.
Westminster (3.4 per cent), Lambeth (3.2 per cent), Southwark (3.0 per cent) and Hackney (2.8 per cent) also have rates far above the national figure. The London average is around two per cent.
Samuel Thomas, senior policy adviser at anti-poverty charity Z2K, said:
“Tackling London’s temporary accommodation crisis has never been more urgent, with our advisers supporting increasing numbers of families trapped without access to the essentials we all need to get by.
“Z2K’s research suggests that when people are denied the Five Basics, their health worsens, their costs soar, and their chances of moving on from homelessness decline.
“That’s why we’re calling on all London local election candidates to match the commitments made in boroughs like Westminster and commit to fixing the Five Basics, so that stays in temporary accommodation are as safe, stable and short as possible.”
Wandsworth, Westminster, Greenwich and Lewisham have all committed to work towards implementing the Five Basics in their boroughs, while discussions are ongoing with candidates from major parties in more than 10 boroughs across London, according to the campaign.
Questioned about the state of some temporary accommodation centres in 2023, the Mayor of London told Assembly Members: “I recognise that councils are finding it increasingly difficult to secure temporary accommodation, but it must be of decent condition.”
More generally, Sir Sadiq Khan has said the “creation of more genuinely affordable homes is the long-term solution to the worsening crisis in temporary accommodation”.
However, the existence of an unfair housing rule currently allows local authorities to deem someone ‘intentionally homeless’ if they refuse an offer of housing and they deem that an ‘unreasonable refusal’.
Reports suggest that Londoners are routinely being moved to temporary accommodation in Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and Middlesbrough, sometimes for years at a time.
There have been multiple cases of residents being told they have to accept a long distance offer – whether temporary or permanent – or the council will discharge its legal duty to house them, meaning they are homeless and on their own.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London told the LDRS: “London, alongside the rest of the country, is working to tackle increasing numbers of households needing temporary accommodation.
“Ensuring better quality and more cost-effective temporary accommodation is a key element of the work City Hall is doing with local councils and partners through the Ending Homelessness Accelerator Programme to build a safer, fairer London for everyone.”
