Temporary Accommodation

Legislation and statutory guidance sets out that local authorities should, wherever possible, place homeless households within their own area. However, in some areas where there is a limited supply of suitable accommodation, it is sometimes necessary to place households in temporary accommodation outside the local area. This should be as near as possible to the original placing local authority.

The National Plan to End Homelessness sets out our commitment to taking action on out of area placements and driving out unsuitable practice. We are engaging with stakeholders including local authorities sending or receiving large numbers of placements to understand the issues and how best to tackle unsuitable practice, making expectations on councils clear.

As also set out in the National Plan, this Government is focused on tackling the root causes of homelessness by delivering 1.5 million homes, reforming the private rented sector and raising living standards. We will be providing £3.6 billion in funding for homelessness and rough sleeping services from 2026/27 to 2028/29, to ensure councils have the funding they need to prevent homelessness, helping to reduce demand for temporary accommodation.

We are also increasing the supply of good-quality temporary accommodation, both through the £950 million fourth round of the Local Authority Housing Fund, and through exploring options for partnerships with social impact and institutional investors, which will help local authorities make suitable local placements.