Westminster Council has been sending homeless families to temporary accommodation (TA) as far as 33 miles away due to a shortage of local housing, a new Freedom of Information request has revealed. Families have been placed in areas such as Southend-on-Sea, North Hertfordshire, and Thurrock since 2020.
The council’s response to the housing crisis includes using private sector properties, with 40% of its temporary accommodation located within the borough. However, the number of families housed outside Westminster has steadily increased, rising from 235 in 2020 to 266 in 2024.
Many of these families face difficulties due to the distance from family, work, and essential services. Alya Ozmen from the anti-poverty charity Z2K emphasized the need for increased investment in social housing and better support for those placed far from home.
Westminster’s council is facing a surge in homeless applications, with over 3,000 households applying for support in the last year. The council has allocated £178.3 million to secure more housing and reduce reliance on the private rental market and temporary accommodation.
A separate report found Westminster spent an additional £34 million on TA during the 2023-24 financial year, marking a 55% increase from the previous year. Despite efforts to manage the crisis, Westminster’s housing shortage continues to put a strain on its resources.
