Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Out-of-area homeless placements significantly increasing, causing disruption for households, particularly children.
Conclusion
For a variety of reasons, including lack of housing supply and suitability of accommodation, some local authorities struggle to place households within their local area. MHCLG acknowledges that placing households out of area can cause disruption, especially to children, including challenges for their education and social isolation affecting their health and support needs. The number of households placed out of area rose from 23,450 in Quarter 3, 2018–19 to 33,350 in Quarter 3, 2023–24, an increase of 42%. Of the households placed out of area in Quarter 3, 2023–24, around 26,380 (79%) had been placed there by a London local authority.21 MHCLG told us that, as at June 2024, the number of households placed out of area across the whole country had risen again, to 39,000.22
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 6 May 2025. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document ↗