Regulate temporary accommodation through social housing bill, MPs urge

Analysing information from 6,970 children’s deaths between April 2019 and March 2022, the research found 34 cases where homelessness and temporary accommodation were recorded as contributing factors that may have contributed to the child’s vulnerability, ill health or death.

In an additional 39 cases overcrowding, threats or enforcement of evictions, and extended family accommodation were recorded as factors that may have contributed to the deaths. Most of the children were under the age of one.

The NCMD data also revealed that housing was the main issue identified in more than half of 212 child deaths reviewed in 2020-21 which had evidence of factors related to deprivation.

“The most common themes related to homelessness concerned pregnant mothers, who went on to give birth to babies who subsequently died, families with young children, and young people having left or been forced out of their family home,” the report said.

The APPG said that its report and other recent research by the Smith Institute and Centre for London paint a “clear picture” of a growing population trapped in temporary accommodation that is “substandard, suffering additional avoidable hardship as a consequence”.

It added: “The new regulator should enforce consumer standards and we want to see that the regulator has sufficient powers to meaningfully intervene.”

The APPG also drew attention to the lack of basic facilities in temporary accommodation homes including bedding, white goods, furniture and safe cots for infants. It called for laws to be updated to ensure basic facilities were provided.

An increasing number of people are being housed out of their local areas, the report said, leading to isolation, difficulty accessing support and a sense of displacement.

It called for a “strategic approach” to out-of-area placements, greater training and support for housing officers and support staff, and wrap-around support focusing on the individual needs of homeless households.

The Temporary Accommodation APPG was formed in early 2022 to improve the lives and health of families and single adults living in temporary accommodation across England. 

It is chaired by Siobhain Mcdonagh, Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden, with temporary accommodation charity Justlife and the Shared Health Foundation acting as co-secretariat.

A government spokesperson said: “One child’s death is one too many and this report reinforces the urgent need to tackle poor-quality housing wherever it occurs.

“Temporary accommodation is a last resort and we are committed to driving down the need for it by preventing homelessness before it occurs. Over half a million households have been prevented from becoming homeless or secured accommodation since 2018 and we have given councils £366m this year to help prevent evictions and act on their duty to ensure all families have a roof over their heads.

“Our Social Housing (Regulation) Bill and renters’ reforms are helping to ensure where temporary accommodation is needed it is of adequate standard. We will review the report’s findings and work with the NCMD to better understand the circumstances their research identified.”