Multitudes of children have lived out their entire existence within transitional housing facilities
In the heart of London, a household has been living in temporary accommodation since the turn of the century. This is not an isolated case, as families in Kent and across the UK have endured similar circumstances for over a decade. Thousands of families are currently caught in this long-term housing limbo, prompting concerns from charities and advocacy groups.
Shelter, a homelessness charity, has warned that the housing emergency is spiraling out of control. In response, Citizens UK is calling on all parties to make ending child homelessness a top priority leading into the next general election.
Recent developments in law and government action reflect growing attention to the long-term use of temporary accommodation for families and efforts to address related problems such as inadequate housing conditions and the pressures on local authorities.
A High Court judgement in August 2025 found Barking and Dagenham council had failed its duty under the Housing Act 1996 to provide suitable temporary accommodation for an evicted family, granting an interim mandatory injunction requiring proper housing within seven days. This judgement emphasized that local authorities must take all reasonable steps to secure appropriate accommodation and bear the evidential burden to show such steps.
The UK government doubled its investment in social and affordable housing through the June 2025 spending review, pledging £39 billion over 10 years, including £950 million allocated for temporary accommodation. This funding aims to increase supply and reduce reliance on inadequate temporary housing such as hotels or unsuitable placements for families.
In housing safety regulation, Awaab’s Law comes into force on 27 October 2025, introduced as a direct response to a child’s death caused by mould in social housing. This law imposes strict deadlines on landlords (including local authorities) to remedy health hazards like damp and mould quickly, with liabilities for non-compliance enforceable through courts.
There is also ongoing legal scrutiny and debate surrounding the use of hotels and other temporary sites, such as those repurposed for asylum seekers, due to community impact, safety concerns, and planning permission issues. Courts are increasingly involved in enforcing planning laws and balancing the needs of vulnerable populations against local community pressures.
These developments illustrate a legal and policy trajectory aiming to ensure local authorities fulfill their statutory duties promptly and effectively in providing suitable temporary accommodation for families. The trajectory also aims to increase funding and housing supply to minimize long-term dependence on temporary housing solutions, improve housing quality and safety standards, and exercise judicial oversight on problematic uses of temporary housing.
Councils are set to attend an emergency summit on the temporary accommodation crisis, while Citizens UK is campaigning on improving standards and making urgent repairs in temporary accommodation at the local level. The increasing focus on this issue is evident, with calls for a commitment to introduce and enforce improved standards in temporary accommodation and to set a statutory limit on the length of time people can be stuck in temporary accommodation.
Investing in social homes is the only way to ensure children are not left growing up in temporary accommodation, according to Shelter. With the number of homeless children in temporary accommodation reaching a new record, it is clear that urgent action is needed to address this pressing issue.
