Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Accepted
Unlawful and prolonged use of B&Bs for family temporary accommodation is increasing.
Conclusion
The shortage of social housing in England has led local authorities to rely on using B&Bs and other accommodation with shared facilities as temporary accommodation, which are inappropriate and potentially unsafe environments for children to grow up in. The Government already requires that families are only housed in B&Bs as a “last resort”, yet there has been a striking rise in the number of families placed in B&B temporary accommodation for more than six weeks unlawfully. We have heard evidence of children being moved from B&B to B&B; families being asked to leave their room and wait for their next nightly placement; and a family being placed in B&B accommodation for 19 weeks. For too many families, the legal six-week limit on families being placed in B&B accommodation is meaningless, as their local authority does not adhere to it and there are no effective sanctions for breaches. (Conclusion, Paragraph 43)
Government Response Summary
The government clarified that certain hostels are covered by the B&B definition in legislation and reiterated its stance that privately managed shared accommodation is generally unsuitable for families, though good quality shared facilities can serve as a stepping stone.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
17. Where the temporary accommodation is not managed by a local authority, a registered social landlord, or voluntary organisation, accommodation types such as hostels as cited in the report will be covered by the definition of B&Bs in the legislation. We are clear that privately managed accommodation that involves sharing facilities with other households is generally not suitable for families because of the safeguarding risks it presents to children. 18. There is a place for good quality accommodation with shared facilities for families. It can provide the necessary stepping stone to assess and support their needs before moving families into further interim or move on accommodation.