The Housing, Communities, and Local Government Committee announces and investigation into children in temporary accommodation
The inquiry into children in temporary accommodation will be the first inquiry of the current Labour government.
It will investigate the experiences of families in temporary accommodation, and consider how to improve those experiences.
The inquiry will begin on 5 November
The inquiry will be cross-party, and will examine issues within temporary accommodation, including quality of provision, finances, and pressures on local authorities. The purpose of the inquiry will be to see what improvements can be made to be better supported by government.
The first evidence session will be on 05 November, and will question representatives from various organisations including Crisis, St Mungo’s, the Shared Health Foundation, and CARIS Families.
Then the second panel will see witnesses from local authority organisations including the District Councils Network, London Councils, and the Heads of Housing at Rochdale and Hastings councils.
The housing crisis has caused a downfall in quality
The Committee inquiry’s will consider:
- The impact of temporary accommodation on children’s development, health and wellbeing.
- Housing quality in temporary accommodation.
- The use of B&Bs and other unsuitable temporary accommodation.
- How the Government, local authorities, and accommodation providers could better support children and families living in temporary accommodation.
Florence Eshalomi, chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee said: “The housing crisis means that families are increasingly being housed in sub-standard temporary accommodation, meaning children may spend years living in places which are not suitable or adequate to grow up in.
“Growing demand for accommodation is also impacting council finances, with local authorities seeing already desperately tight budgets further stretched by ever increasing temporary housing costs.
“I hope the Committee’s inquiry will bring forward practical solutions to help improve temporary accommodation and enable the Government, councils, and others, to take the steps needed to deliver stable and secure homes for families and children.”
