Conclusion 1

Much of the evidence we received supports the conclusion that temporary accommodation is often so poor as to be unfit for human habitation. However, the absence of official statistics on the physical condition and quality of temporary accommodation means it is not possible to establish the prevalence and severity of poor conditions across England. The National Plan to End Homelessness does not include a commitment to routinely collect and publish information on the physical condition of temporary accommodation. Without this information, we do not have a robust baseline against which to measure the progress of the government’s efforts to improve the physical quality of temporary accommodation. This lack of official data also limits accountability for public money. The government is spending more than ever on temporary accommodation without a good understanding of the quality of provision this money is paying for. This is not acceptable. (Conclusion, Paragraph 14)