The financial costs of temporary accommodation (TA) pose an existential threat to local authorities across the country. Recent data paints a stark picture of this crisis, with TA expenditure reaching £2.42bn in 2023-24. Even more troubling is the human cost – TA has been linked to the deaths of 74 children in England over the past five years.
For these reasons, Campbell Tickell and law firm Devonshires have brought together an alliance of organisations from across the housing sector to address the UK's escalating TA crisis. The newly formed Temporary Accommodation Network (TAN) was set up following a successful and well-attended conference last November.
TAN comprises local authorities, housing associations, charities, and private companies in a coordinated effort to tackle what has become an unprecedented challenge in the housing sector. Our aim is to identify solutions, share best practice, and influence policymakers to positively impact on the current provision of TA as we await longer-term improvements to the housing market.
In our recent Spending Review submission, we made the case for the Government to reconsider the proposed freeze to Local Housing Allowance rates from this April, and for more flexible funding to provide TA and bring empty homes back into use through the next round of the Affordable Homes Programme. These measures would lead to cost savings compared to vastly more expensive and worse quality solutions, particularly the extensive use of hotels and B&Bs.
We are gathering case studies from across our members to publicise and share more widely. This includes examples from different types of organisations, whether it be private companies channelling social equity investment into more sustainable TA supply, local charities working to develop unused plots of land into housing, or local authorities and housing associations partnering to provide bespoke support to enable families to move from TA into settled accommodation.
To hear more about TAN, please contact us. We are particularly keen to hear from local authorities about their experiences in managing TA and any innovative solutions which may work at scale.
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James McHugh is a senior consultant at Campbell Tickell
