Number of child deaths in temporary accommodation rises to 80 in one year

“The impact of homelessness on children is profound, with death being the worst of all outcomes. We know that if you repeatedly move a child or baby, place them in accommodation without a cot or cooking facilities and disconnect a family from support, the chance of death is increased.”

The SHF explained that the figure is likely to be far higher, and that the data did not exist until the foundation worked with the NCMD to update questions asked by child death overview panels (CDOPs) to include temporary accommodation.

The significance of temporary accommodation as a contributing factor will be assessed by CDOPs in due course. While 80 children have died in this type of housing, more analysis is needed to assess whether the housing was the contributing factor to the death.

Since 2019-2024, 74 children have died unexpectedly where temporary accommodation has been a contributing factor. Of these, 58 were under the age of one.

This marks a significant increase on the previously reported figure of 55 in the four years to March 2023.

That figure was an increase of 21 from the APPG’s previous report in 2022 which showed that 34 children had died in shelters for homeless people since April 2019.

The government pointed out that the Homelessness Code of Guidance is clear that temporary accommodation should not be considered suitable for a family with children under two.

The SHF also found that homelessness and poverty are significant contributing factors towards an increased vulnerability to mortality, more likely when combined with environmental influences including overcrowding, mould and a lack of safer sleep options such as cots.

Dr Neilson said: “We’re campaigning for the establishment of a notification system for families in temporary accommodation. We want a system in place that ensures health and education services are notified when a family becomes homeless.

“These services need to be aware of a child’s homeless status, so that they can adequately fulfil their duty in protecting the health and well-being of that child. The 80 deaths in temporary accommodation (TA) in one year should shock us all. We can and should do better.

“We’ll continue to work with local authorities to apply our change to the code of guidance last year, and ensure all TA housing children under two is fitted with a proper cot. We are calling for the government to commit to ending child homelessness and enforce improved standards of temporary accommodation. We can do better and we must do better to prevent the avoidable deaths of homeless children.”

There are a disproportionate number of children from deprived areas represented in the figures, with 72% deaths affecting families living in the 1st and 2nd deprivation quintile.

Children from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds are disproportionately represented in the data, with 38% of deaths coming from within non-white families, despite making up only 27% of the population.

Sylvia Stoianova, deputy programme director at the NCMD, said: “These new figures underline how much work there is still to be done to address the number of child deaths associated with temporary accommodation. 

“Our data, which is unique and comes from child death overview panels around the country, gives an equally unique opportunity to better understand the links between child mortality and temporary accommodation. We hope that those with the power to make a change will use this insight to improve and save children’s lives.”

The figures comes as the social housing waiting list in London has risen to a 10-year high.

A coroner recently warned the government about the social housing shortage following the death of a man who took his own life after an eviction left him homeless, which led to him being separated from his family and living in a vehicle.

Siobhain McDonagh, chair of the APPG for Households in Temporary Accommodation, said: “Seventy-four children have died in five years with temporary accommodation contributing to their death. That is more than one every month. How shocking is that in the fifth largest economy in the world?

“Last year, the APPG I chair was successful in getting the Homelessness Code of Guidance changed to include cots for homeless families. This guidance needs to be made law to ensure that deaths in temporary accommodation is zero.”

Deputy prime minister and housing secretary Angela Rayner said: “These truly shocking findings break my heart. No family should ever have to endure such a tragic loss of life and be failed by the very system there to protect them.

“No child should be forced to grow up in unsafe and frankly appalling conditions, and that is why we are taking urgent action to right the wrongs of the past.

“We will fix the current system that has left far too many families trapped in temporary accommodation with no end in sight and end homelessness for good by tackling the root causes and driving up housing standards.

“This year alone we are providing the largest-ever cash boost in homelessness prevention services, with nearly £1bn for councils to stop families becoming homeless in the first place and provide them with safe, secure and stable housing so they can rebuild their lives. This is part of our long-term plan to turn the tide and end homelessness once and for all.”

Last week, a damning inquiry report from the Public Accounts Committee chastised the government’s homelessness strategy for being unclear, described Local Housing Allowance rates as having no logic, and called for an affordable homes target.