“Families spend years, and even decades, in accommodation that is supposed to act as a springboard into a stable home,” he said.
“For many, basic necessities such as access to cooking facilities, washing and drying clothes, and storing belongings are not being met. No one should have to live this way, and no child should be growing up without the security of a home that meets all of their needs.”
Meanwhile, councils are charging homeless people in TA extortionate fees to access basic storage and laundry services.
“For example, Islington charges households £130 before belongings can be taken into storage and £40 thereafter if households wish to access their belongings,” the report found. “In Enfield, households are subject to a £30 charge each time they access their belongings.”
What is temporary accommodation?
Local councils in the UK have a legal duty to provide temporary accommodation to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
TA is meant to be a short-term, emergency solution while families wait for a more permanent home. But there simply aren’t enough social homes for the people who need them; over the last decade, the number of social rented homes in England has fallen by more than 100,000.
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Councils use TA to fill the gap – but it’s driving many towards bankruptcy. Local authorities spent £2.29 billion on temporary accommodation in 2023-24, including £4 million per day in London.
It takes a brutal toll on families, too. Three-quarters (75%) of TA households live in poor conditions, previous Trust for London research has shown, including one in five (21%) with a safety hazard, such as faulty wiring or fire risks
More than two thirds (68%) of people have inadequate access to basic facilities – such as cooking or laundry facilities.
It takes a serious toll on families says Khadiga, a mum from Peterborough. She wanted her son to “live his childhood as any other child” – but they kept having to move around.
“When he was asking questions about where we were, why we were moving again, why we were sharing accommodation with others, why he had no space to play, why we had to throw away some of his toys, I kept pretending everything was normal and kept reassuring him we would get our place once day and be finally happy,” she said. “I just kept spending lots of time outside in coffee shops to stay warm and to avoid my son getting dirty playing outside as we had no laundry available.”
As well as families, there has been an increase in retired people being moved into temporary accommodation, the report shows. According to freedom of information data, obtained by Citizens UK, a 97-year-old from Brent had been in temporary housing for three years.
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A 95-year-old was in homeless housing in Kingston upon Thames, and a 91-year-old was being housed in Enfield.
Community leaders from across Citizens UK are hosting a round table in parliament today to call for immediate action to improve temporary accommodation, including providing access to cooking facilities, information, WiFi, laundry and storage.
Gotora urged the government to collaborate with local authorities to improve standards.
“We need urgent action to deal with this crisis,” he said. “The government must step up and set national standards to ensure people can live with dignity across the country.”
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