Homeless family out-of-area
Lack of data and understanding regarding the distance and impact of out-of-area placements for homeless families.
Source spread
Where this theme appears
This theme appears across 7 independent accountability sources, so the source mix matters as much as the headline total.
28 PFD reports
113 committee recs
1 PPO rec
2 NAO recs
85 IMB recs
30 IMB reports
810 LGO/SPSO decisions
Browse by source
Source-grouped records are useful for tracing where a concern came from. Large sections show the 50 strongest matches for that source; counts still show the full theme total.
Prevention of Future Deaths reports(28)
Damion Stanley Joseph Henson
Concerns: A homeless unit, housing drug users, lacked 24-hour supervision, allowing unauthorized individuals to enter out of hours, thereby increasing risks in a facility not designed for drug rehabilitation.
Overdue
Gareth Slater
Concerns: Discharge planning failed due to clinical impasses, resulting in no care plan, insufficient family involvement, inadequate independent living assessment, and an unsuitable unfurnished flat.
Overdue
Alan Stanfield Browning
Concerns: A vulnerable patient was discharged from a care facility without family notification or proper accommodation arrangements, specifically on a Friday, highlighting a lack of robust discharge planning.
Overdue
Richard White
Concerns: Hope House lacked a formal, documented policy or protocol for medication administration, which was unknown to prescribers and not made available to staff.
Response (700 Club2): The 700 Club clarifies that it does not store or administer medication to clients, emphasizing that responsibility for safeguarding clients regarding medication lies with GPs. They will receive medication if …
Responded
Stephen Tilbury
Concerns: Excessive vehicle speed in a residential area, despite an existing trief curb, poses a significant risk as the curb can deflect speeding vehicles onto the pavement. Physical speed reduction measures are needed.
Overdue
Christopher Ajayi
Concerns: A vulnerable patient with complex mental and physical health needs was discharged into unsupported accommodation without a care package or necessary medical oversight, highlighting severe failures in discharge planning and care coordination.
Response (South London and Maudsley NHS Trust): • The Trust elaborated on changes that have taken place and learning that has arisen from the incident.
Responded
Robin Richards
Concerns: A shortage of suitable supported accommodation, coupled with poor communication, inadequate discharge planning, and insufficient risk assessment processes, compromised care for an individual with Asperger's Syndrome.
Overdue
Amanda Briley
Concerns: Lack of commissioned services for autism management and local inpatient provision forces out-of-area mental health placements, hindering family contact and local support.
Response (NHS England): NHS England states that a central register of providers for specialist placements for individuals diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome does not exist, but refers to the CQC website and mentions national …
Response (Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust): The Trust has increased mandatory autism training for staff, held meetings to ensure clear handover of patient care during bank holidays, reviewed and updated the Trust's Handover Policy, and will …
Responded
Anthony Watson
Concerns: A critically ill mental health patient could not access immediate inpatient treatment due to a severe lack of local beds and distant, unappealing out-of-area options, exacerbated by age-segregated units.
Response (NHS England): By 2023/24, anyone experiencing a mental health crisis will be able to call NHS 111 and access 24/7 age-appropriate mental health community support. By 2020/21 no acute hospital will be …
Response (NHS Birmingham and Solihull ICB): The CCG acknowledges the coroner's concerns, noting that there appear to have been failings in care delivery which impacted on the ability for a bed to be located for Mr …
Responded
Georgia Nelson
Concerns: There is a lack of suitable housing specifically for young patients with severe and enduring mental health issues.
Response (RBKC): RBKC and partner agencies are working together to identify ongoing needs and service developments arising from the closure of rehabilitation inpatient beds at Horton, including a potential local 'wrap around …
Response (CNWL NHS Trust): CNWL acknowledges the concerns raised and states that as discharge planning starts at admission, they will follow new NICE guidance on considering rehabilitation as appropriate. They offer a range of …
Responded
Michael Cox
Concerns: There is a critical shortage of suitable long-term placements for individuals with complex mental health histories, causing persistent difficulties for social workers in finding appropriate facilities.
Response (Cornwall Council): Cornwall Council is developing a multiagency strategy (2019-23) to improve support for people with complex needs, including mental health and substance use issues. A task and finish project will review …
Responded
Piotr Kierzkowski
Concerns: A critical lack of available mental health beds prevented the deceased from informal admission despite mutual desire from patient and staff, leading to his tragic death.
Response (Department of Health and Social Care): Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust has increased capacity through the opening of four crisis house beds in Norwich, with plans to open two additional crisis houses in the coming …
Responded
James Herbertson
Concerns: Inadequate discharge planning from a mental health hospital, including poor communication and unsuitable accommodation, left a vulnerable patient without proper support.
Response (Sussex Partnership NHS Trust): Sussex Partnership NHS Trust has updated its Care Programme Approach policy to reduce follow-up time, revised guidance on home leave and discharge planning, and issued updated policies and guidance on …
Responded
Mary Gwanyama
Concerns: A vulnerable patient was prematurely discharged into homelessness from a mental health unit without proper planning, medical review, or adequate risk assessment, failing to follow Care Programme Approach guidelines.
Response (Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust): The Trust will update its CPA policy and Acute Care Services Operational Protocol to reflect that anyone who is homeless must have a CPA discharge meeting on the inpatient ward …
Responded
Victoria Cartwright
Concerns: There was a significant lack of collaborative working and information sharing between healthcare agencies during discharge, resulting in a patient with complex needs being sent to unsuitable accommodation against clinical recommendations.
Overdue
Michael Poulton
Concerns: Individuals are being released from police custody far from home without adequate means for transport or communication, risking their safe return and welfare.
Response (Wiltshire Police): Wiltshire Police implemented the Vulnerable Detainee Transportation Scheme, including the 'Ring B4 U Bring' scheme, to ensure safe return home for detainees. Details have been disseminated force-wide and training will …
Responded
Benjamin Nelson-Roux
Concerns: The system failed to find suitable accommodation for a homeless 16-year-old by limiting searches to county boundaries and lacking residential substance misuse treatment facilities for minors.
Response (North Yorkshire County Council): North Yorkshire Council is updating its Joint Working Protocol with housing providers to include out-of-area accommodation searches and clarify responsibilities when placing young people outside the county. They anticipate completion …
Response (Department of Health and Social Care): The Department of Health and Social Care acknowledges the limited availability of residential substance misuse treatment for young people, emphasizing community-based interventions. They highlight increased funding for local authorities to …
Overdue
Shahzadi Khan
Concerns: National mental health bed shortages led to out-of-area placements with poor communication and discharge planning. There was also a lack of awareness regarding menopause as a factor in mental health deterioration.
Response (Department of Health and Social Care): The Department of Health and Social Care outlines initiatives being implemented in Greater Manchester to address mental health bed shortages and improve awareness of menopause for healthcare staff. NHSGM ICB …
Responded
Tobias Mannering-Jones
Concerns: Long mental health waiting lists, inadequate support and unstable housing for homeless youth, especially LGBTQIA+, contribute to vulnerability and exploitation risks, compounded by poor inter-agency coordination.
Response (Department of Health and Social Care): The Department of Health and Social Care highlights the role of Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) in planning and delivering integrated health and care services. It notes a Joint Action Plan …
Response (Greater Mnachester Integrated Care): The Tameside Adults Safeguarding Partnership Board (TASPB) is developing an action plan based on a Safeguarding Adults Review, with a workshop planned and an Action Plan Review Group monitoring progress. …
Response (Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities): The response contains no text.
Responded
Luke Brooks
Response (North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust): North West Ambulance Service has revised its 111 policy to remove exclusions for self-conveyance to hospital, save for Category 1 incidents, and to directly confirm patient refusal of an ambulance …
Response (Department for Levelling up Housing and Communities): The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will pilot measures to improve enforcement of damp and mould with £10m funding and intends to introduce the Decent Homes Standard to …
Response (Department of Health and Social Care): The Department of Health and Social Care states that NHS England has confirmed with ambulance trusts that no blanket policies are in place advising patients with chest pain not to …
Responded
Jagjeet Singh
Concerns: A chronic national shortage of mental health beds meant a patient was repeatedly without a bed upon medical discharge, forcing him into unsuitable accommodation or rough sleeping.
Response (NHS England): NHS England is investing in new units and system transformation to increase access to mental health beds, and London regional colleagues are engaging with the North East London Integrated Care …
Response (Department of Health and Social Care): The Department acknowledges concerns about bed availability and highlights existing initiatives to improve community mental health support and patient flow, referencing published guidance on discharge from mental health inpatient settings.
Responded
Paul Williams
Concerns: Homelessness, forced family separation, and prolonged waiting times for public housing severely impacted mental health, contributing to the deceased's deteriorating condition.
Response (Ministry of Housing Communities Local Government): The Ministry is working to deliver the Renters (Reform) Bill which will abolish section 21 evictions, is increasing funding for homelessness services and is chairing an Inter-Ministerial Group focused on …
Responded
William Bissett
Concerns: Severe systemic failures in release planning for a vulnerable, elderly prisoner, including delayed engagement, inadequate accommodation arrangements, and insufficient emotional support, resulted in a tragic outcome.
Response (HM Inspectorate of Prisons): HM Inspectorate of Prisons acknowledges the report and states that the issues raised are covered by their inspection criteria. They will keep the findings on file and follow up as …
Response (HMPPS and NW Probation Service): HMPPS and NW Probation Service amended and re-issued the OMiC POM to COM Handover Guidance in March 2024. They are also undertaking a review of the quality of POM to …
Responded
Alexi Susiluoto
Concerns: Separate mental health and substance misuse services, compounded by patient homelessness, create significant confusion and gaps in care for individuals with dual diagnoses.
Response (MHCLG): MHCLG is providing funding to local authorities through the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant to deliver substance misuse services, including for those with co-occurring mental health needs.
Response (Department of Health and Social Care): The DHSC is providing funding to local authorities through the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant, directs them to consider NICE guidance, and will soon publish UK clinical guidelines …
Responded
Callum Hargreaves
Concerns: A severe shortage of available housing in Cornwall, with high demand and low supply, contributed to the deceased's homelessness and exacerbated his mental health issues.
Response (MHCLG): The MHCLG response focuses on the government's broader efforts to increase social housing supply, tackle homelessness, and address rogue practices like cuckooing, including a new offence in the Crime and …
Responded
Callum Hargreaves
Concerns: Sanctuary Housing failed to properly investigate cuckooing and property damage for a vulnerable tenant, leading to an eviction notice instead of support, and lacked a clear policy for such situations.
Response (Sanctuary Housing): Sanctuary Housing commits to an internal review following the Coroner's findings to identify improvements that can be made to its multi-agency approach to ASB and cuckooing, and will externally benchmark …
Responded
Callum Hargreaves
Concerns: A prolonged dispute between a social housing provider and the Council over rehousing a cuckooed tenant remained unresolved, highlighting a failure to support vulnerable individuals and inconsistent council policies on homelessness applications.
Response (Conrwall Council Housing): Cornwall Council's Housing Options staff have completed e-learning training provided by Shelter on ‘cuckooing’, which will now form part of the training framework and be completed on a bi-annual basis. …
Responded
Pellumb Olaj
Concerns: The council failed to consider a patient's history of paranoid schizophrenia and past suicide attempts by jumping from high places when housing him on the sixth floor.
Response (Islington Council): Islington Council expresses condolences and provides background on the inquest hearing, including limitations on evidence presented, and includes details of their income and expenditure assessment process for housing applicants.
Responded
Select committee recommendations(113)— showing 50 strongest matches
#19 — MHCLG recognises need for stronger data on household placements, improving information sharing
Recommendation: MHCLG accepted that this is an area where it needs stronger and more transparent data. We asked if this was something that MHCLG’s homelessness case level information collection (H-CLIC) dataset could help with. It explained that, while joining up data …
Gov response: 3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: April 2025 3.2 MHCLG is exploring what additional data related to temporary accommodation can be published on a regular basis from its existing collection, …
Accepted
#18 — Anecdotal evidence indicates local authorities are 'swapping' homeless households between areas
Recommendation: We enquired whether some local authorities were effectively “swapping” households with other local authorities. MHCLG replied that it received a lot of anecdotal evidence that this was happening, and that such an approach was clearly wrong given that it is …
Gov response: 3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: April 2025 3.2 MHCLG is exploring what additional data related to temporary accommodation can be published on a regular basis from its existing collection, …
Partially Accepted
#17 — MHCLG lacks crucial data on distance of out-of-area placements for homeless families
Recommendation: We asked MHCLG how far away from their home area these families were living. It replied that it does not have the data to understand the exact figures involved, although it is aware that some families are being placed at …
Gov response: 3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: April 2025 3.2 MHCLG is exploring what additional data related to temporary accommodation can be published on a regular basis from its existing collection, …
Accepted
#16 — Out-of-area homeless placements significantly increasing, causing disruption for households, particularly children.
Recommendation: 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 …
Gov response: 3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: April 2025 3.2 MHCLG is exploring what additional data related to temporary accommodation can be published on a regular basis from its existing collection, …
Partially Accepted
#11 — Significant concerns exist regarding B&B suitability for temporary accommodation, particularly for children.
Recommendation: There are particular concerns about the use of B&Bs as temporary accommodation, regarding the suitability of the environment and location, safeguarding in mixed settings, and a lack of support from wider public services. Children in B&Bs often face particular challenges, …
Gov response: 2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 2.2 In January 2025, MHCLG launched the Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots, which was backed by £5 million to work with 20 local authorities with the …
Accepted
#3 — Improve MHCLG data on out-of-area placements to encourage better local authority coordination.
Recommendation: Too many people’s lives are disrupted by being placed in temporary accommodation outside of their local area. For a variety of reasons, including lack of housing supply and suitability of accommodation, some local authorities struggle to place households in temporary …
Gov response: The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. published on a regular basis from its existing collection, potentially quantifying the number of out of area placements received. Improved availability of data will assist local authorities to …
Accepted
#30 — Home Office competition for accommodation exacerbates local authority homelessness costs and housing pressures.
Recommendation: The National Audit Office reported that the increase in asylum decisions had placed greater pressure on local authorities to support refugees in finding accommodation and increased the risk of homelessness and rough sleeping.107 The previous Public Accounts Committee also raised …
Under Consideration
#29 — Home Office improved engagement with local authorities on asylum accommodation and move-on support.
Recommendation: Since 2020, the Home Office has increasingly used hotels to accommodate asylum seekers due to rising demand and a shortage of alternative accommodation. The previous Public Accounts Committee had raised concerns about the Home Office’s lack of effective engagement with …
Under Consideration
#14 — Provide update on connecting homelessness data with public services and improve related data collection.
Recommendation: The Government should provide an update on its efforts to connect homelessness data with data from other public services, including health data, to take a more holistic approach to understanding the drivers of homelessness in England. It should also consider …
Gov response: 40. We will publish the homelessness strategy later this year. We continue to make progress in the meantime, including increasing funding for homelessness services in 2025/26 by £233 million. This increased spending will help to …
Under Consideration
#13 — Ensure consistent identifiers alert schools and GPs when children move into temporary accommodation.
Recommendation: Currently, schools are not always notified when a pupil becomes homeless or changes school due to a move into temporary accommodation. This prevents schools from offering additional support which those children may require. Similarly, GPs are often unaware that families …
Gov response: 39. We recognise the importance of balancing responsibilities between central government and local authorities, and the importance of accountability. The homelessness strategy will provide more detail on this.
Under Consideration
#12 — Update Code of Guidance requiring local authorities to notify host authorities before out-of-area placements.
Recommendation: We are deeply concerned to hear that several local authorities may be falling short of their legal duties regarding out-of-area placements, particularly the requirement to notify the host authority after placements are completed. There is currently no requirement for local …
Gov response: 37. The IMG is considering all relevant policy and interventions that would have an impact on homelessness and rough sleeping. 38. The Renters’ Rights Bill will extend Awaab’s Law to the private rented sector (PRS), …
Under Consideration
#11 — Issue guidance discouraging out-of-area property acquisition and consult on placement distance limits.
Recommendation: The Government must issue guidance to discourage local authorities from acquiring properties outside of their authority boundaries to use as temporary accommodation. Where this is not possible, the local authority must notify prospective host local authorities before it purchases any …
Gov response: 33. The Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG), chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, includes ministers from across government and is focused on developing a long-term strategy to get us back on track to ending homelessness. This includes …
Under Consideration
#10 — Require local authorities to report quarterly on out-of-area placements and publish H-CLIC data.
Recommendation: The Government must improve the quality of data on local authorities’ use of out-of-area placements. It should require all local authorities to report to the Department quarterly on instances of out-of-area placements as part of their H-CLIC data report, including …
Gov response: 30. The linking of data holds significant potential for the wider public sector. Improved data linking would enable more effective government policy, drive world-class research, facilitate joined-up public services and support the delivery of wider …
Under Consideration
#9 — Out-of-area temporary accommodation placements cause devastating impacts and lack reliable data.
Recommendation: Out-of-area temporary accommodation placements have a devastating impact on families, leaving them far from their extended family, friends, and support network, and causing disruption to children’s education. There is a lack of reliable data on how out-of-area placements are currently …
Gov response: 28. Keeping children safe is a priority for this Government. Practitioners supporting children and families must find, receive and share relevant information to assess risks effectively. A consistent identifier can help improve information sharing, but …
Under Consideration
#3 — Mandate local authorities to conduct mandatory temporary accommodation inspections and publish annual reports.
Recommendation: Some local authorities are not taking sufficient account of the needs of children and families when making decisions on temporary accommodation placements. Many local authorities do not carry out any regular inspections of the conditions in the accommodation they use …
Gov response: 15. Current legislation is very clear that B&B accommodation is not suitable for children and should only be used in emergencies and then only for a maximum of six weeks. B&B accommodation is privately managed, …
Not Accepted
#2 — Families face prolonged temporary accommodation stays amid England's severe housing crisis.
Recommendation: During our inquiry we have also heard that, for many families, life in temporary accommodation is far from ‘temporary’. In some cases, families spend years in temporary accommodation, stuck in limbo without the stability of permanent accommodation and knowing that …
Gov response: 13. The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) provides an essential service investigating complaints when a homeless applicant is not satisfied with how the council has handled their case. It is important to have …
Under Consideration
#20 — Collect DfE data distinguishing out-of-area child placements by reasons of interest versus capacity.
Recommendation: The Department for Education should collect data on the proportion of children who are placed out of area because it is in their own interests compared with those placed out of area due to capacity issues, so that the situation …
Gov response: We agree with the Committee that data to understand the nature and scale of out-of-area placements are important to inform policy and drive improvements. We are therefore committed to improving the evidence base, including collecting …
Accepted
#19 — Publish national children's social care sufficiency strategy and mandate local out-of-area placement reduction plans.
Recommendation: The Department for Education must publish a national sufficiency strategy for children’s social care as a matter of urgency and publish data on the extent to which sufficiency requirements are being met on an annual basis. It should also require …
Gov response: The Government is committed to reducing the number of children entering care by supporting families to stay together safely. This is why we are investing in family help, kinship care and preventative services throughout the …
Under Consideration
#18 — Data on reasons for out-of-area placements is essential for understanding and change.
Recommendation: We disagree with the Department’s view that data on the reasons for out- of-area placements are not needed. While data collection itself may not directly lead to improvements, it is essential to fully understand the nature and scale of the …
Gov response: We agree with the Committee that data to understand the nature and scale of out-of-area placements are important to inform policy and drive improvements. We are therefore committed to improving the evidence base, including collecting …
Accepted
#17 — Out-of-area placements traumatise children, despite some local authorities limiting numbers.
Recommendation: Too many children are being sent many miles from home, which has a traumatic and lasting impact on their lives. We were saddened to hear that a care-experienced young person had chosen not to pursue higher education as a direct …
Gov response: The Government is committed to reducing the number of children entering care by supporting families to stay together safely. This is why we are investing in family help, kinship care and preventative services throughout the …
Not Addressed
#34 — Reconsider freeze on Local Housing Allowance rates and extend support for housing acquisition
Recommendation: As we recommended in our previous report, England’s Homeless Children, the Government should reconsider its decision to freeze Local Housing Allowance rates and should extend its support for local authorities to acquire new housing stock through the Local Authority Housing …
Gov response: As the Government set out in our response to the Committee’s Report on Children’s Temporary Accommodation, when considering Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates for 2025–26, the Government considered a range of factors, such as the …
Partially Accepted
#33 — Record levels of homelessness among families and children strain local authority finances
Recommendation: It is a source of national shame that cases of homelessness, particularly among families and children, are at record levels and continue to rise. This is placing considerable strain on the finances of local authorities. We repeat the findings of …
Gov response: As the Government set out in our response to the Committee’s Report on Children’s Temporary Accommodation, when considering Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates for 2025–26, the Government considered a range of factors, such as the …
Not Addressed
#9 — Bolstering preventative services must not underfund essential acute services like temporary accommodation.
Recommendation: We support the Government’s current stated intention to focus more on prevention to reduce the demand for more expensive acute services in the long term. These preventative services have been weakened by a decade of underfunding in local government. However, …
Gov response: 37. As set out in the FFR 2.0, the government intends to radically simplify the grant landscape to give local authorities more certainty and flexibility around a greater portion of their income. We consolidated 11 …
Under Consideration
#34 —
Recommendation: We call on the Ministry of Justice and prison leaders to prioritise timely notification of upcoming releases to local authorities and other relevant stakeholders, giving them the best chance to identify suitable accommodation among an already limited stock of options. …
Response Pending
#33 —
Recommendation: We were impressed by the large network of partners—including multiple UK and Welsh Government funded housing advisors as well as third sector providers—working hard to ensure Welsh prisoners were released into suitable accommodation and not released into homelessness. However, we …
Response Pending
#24 —
Recommendation: Accommodation continues to account for a large proportion of asylum-related spending, with pressure shifting as demand and system capacity change. Spending on asylum accommodation reached around £3.4 billion in 2024–25, and hotels continue to be used as contingency accommodation.58 The …
Response Pending
#23 —
Recommendation: We also questioned departments on the increasing pressure on asylum accommodation and social housing across the UK. Shortages of dispersal accommodation have contributed to continued reliance on hotels, and efforts to expand alternative options, such as large sites, have faced …
Response Pending
#14 —
Recommendation: Efforts in 2023 to clear the backlog of legacy claims also led to a notable increase in individuals who had been granted protection status presenting to local authorities as homeless and requiring support, exacerbated by the requirement to leave Home …
Response Pending
#17 —
Recommendation: There is a shortage of suitable accommodation for older prisoners following their release, which can undermine their rehabilitation and prevent them from successfully re-integrating into society. We are particularly concerned about reports of older individuals being released to no-fixed abode. …
Gov response: • Work is underway with healthcare teams across prisons to ensure that, as part of each site’s discharge/release planning process, patients who do not currently have a registered GP are pre-registered with a GP in …
Under Consideration
#10 —
Recommendation: A social housebuilding programme should be top of the Government’s agenda to rebuild the country from the impact of COVID-19. The crisis has exposed our broken housing system. Families in overcrowded homes have faced worse health outcomes. Private renters have …
Gov response: Due to the current COVID 19 pandemic, the courts suspended possession proceedings on 27 March. On 5 June 2020, the suspension of possessions was extended by 2 months until 23 August 2020. On 21 August …
Under Consideration
#1 —
Recommendation: The housing market in England has changed substantially since the last time there was political consensus on the need to build large numbers of social housing. The decades in which social housing was delivered at scale featured different mechanisms than …
Gov response: The Government does not a prescribe a definition of affordability, it is a complex and ever-changing picture that is better understood and monitored at a local level. However, we recognise that the fundamental purpose of …
Under Consideration
#51 —
Recommendation: On 5 June, the Housing Secretary announced a two month extension, until the end of August, of the suspension of evictions from social or private rented housing to protect tenants and landlords during the pandemic.
Gov response: We welcome the Committee’s recognition of the additional and extended support that the Home Office has provided to asylum seekers whose claims have been fully determined. otherwise no longer be eligible was undertaken in consultation …
Under Consideration
#33 —
Recommendation: In order to achieve an equitable and sustainable UK-wide dispersal system, the Home Office and its providers must give due regard to the acute financial and capacity constraints currently placed on dispersal authorities, many of which are grappling with even …
Gov response: The Home Office is committed to working collaboratively with communities and stakeholders to ensure that destitute asylum seekers are provided with safe, secure and suitable accommodation. We have established the Local Government Chief Executive Group …
Under Consideration
#16 —
Recommendation: Hotel accommodation usually lacks facilities for children and suitable accommodation for families to share for extended periods.42 We received written evidence from the Refugee Council, which told us that while in hotels or initial accommodation, asylum seekers cannot register with …
Gov response: 2.2 The government is committed to reducing and ending the routine use of hotel accommodation and is taking a range of steps with providers to achieve this. One of the ways in which the use …
Not Addressed
#2 —
Recommendation: We are very concerned that thousands of people continue to be placed in hotels rather than more appropriate accommodation. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ministers decided to continue support for asylum seekers after their asylum claim had been resolved. As …
Gov response: 2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: February 2021 2.2 The government is committed to reducing and ending the routine use of hotel accommodation and is taking a range of steps …
Not Addressed
#18 —
Recommendation: At out evidence session the Department was unable to answer several of our queries about these cohorts. It told us it believed that people sleeping rough with no recourse to public funds would be eligible to receive vaccinations against COVID-19, …
Gov response: 5.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 5.2 The government is fully committed to ending rough sleeping. The department will be working with partners across government to build on recent progress and consider what …
Under Consideration
#5 —
Recommendation: The Department has provided mixed messages to local authorities on how to support people sleeping rough who have no recourse to public funds, and has no long-term plan for those who have been taken into hotels. Local authorities are generally …
Gov response: 5.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 5.2 The government is fully committed to ending rough sleeping. The department will be working with partners across government to build on recent progress and consider what …
Under Consideration
#3 —
Recommendation: The size of the rough sleeping population and those at risk of rough sleeping is far higher than the snapshot the Department is relying on, exposing the inadequacy of its current approach to data collection and reporting. One consequence of …
Gov response: 3.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 3.2 The department has so far published five snapshots of the data (as at May, September, November, December 2020 and January 2021). 3.3 This is a relatively …
Under Consideration
#2 —
Recommendation: The Department still does not have a plan for achieving its target of ending rough sleeping by 2024, and risks failing to capitalise on the successes of Everyone In. Following the general election in December 2019 the government began this …
Gov response: 2.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 2.2 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation, although it will be important to ensure sufficient time for the development of the new strategy and to align …
Under Consideration
#24 — Ensure social and genuinely affordable housing comprises a substantial proportion of the 1.5 million homes target.
Recommendation: The Government clearly recognises the scale of the homelessness crisis in England, and we welcome the scale of the Government’s ambition to tackle it. We welcome the Government’s target to deliver 1.5 million new homes during this Parliament, however, as …
Gov response: The government has not set an affordable housing target to date, but we are committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. The long-term housing strategy will be published …
Partially Accepted
#23 — Extend support for local authorities to acquire temporary accommodation, including empty affordable homes.
Recommendation: Local authority owned housing for temporary accommodation is a more cost-efficient means of providing higher quality temporary accommodation for families in the long term. It is unacceptable that some affordable homes are currently sitting empty while families are stuck in …
Gov response: The Government agrees with the Committee that the Local Authority Housing Fund can play an important role in enabling councils to acquire properties for use as temporary accommodation. Earlier this year we announced a £50 …
Accepted
#21 — Re-freezing Local Housing Allowance rates risks undermining homelessness funding and increasing costs.
Recommendation: We are also concerned that the Government’s decision to re-freeze Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates from April 2025 will undermine the impact of additional homelessness grant funding. We have seen compelling evidence that this is a false economy. Re-freezing LHA …
Gov response: The Government currently spends around £34 billion annually on housing support including around £12 billion in the private rented sector. Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates, which set the maximum level of support in the private …
Not Accepted
#17 — Consider extending Awaab's Law to temporary accommodation and require rights information for residents.
Recommendation: The Group should consider how Awaab’s Law will be extended to temporary accommodation. The strategy on ending homelessness must clearly outline how all accommodation providers will be expected to fulfil this new requirement. Once Awaab’s Law is in force in …
Gov response: 55. The government has not set an affordable housing target to date, but we are committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. 56. The long-term housing strategy will …
Under Consideration
#8 — Require Government strategy to end family placements in shared temporary accommodation within six weeks.
Recommendation: The Government’s forthcoming strategy on ending homelessness must set out a clear plan to end placements of families in temporary accommodation with shared facilities, starting by reducing and eliminating placements of over six weeks. (Recommendation, Paragraph 47) Out-of-area temporary accommodation
Gov response: As set out in response to recommendation 4 above, we do not agree with the Committee that it will never be appropriate for families to be accommodated in temporary accommodation with shared facilities. There can …
Not Accepted
#7 — Assess legislation suitability and update guidance to specify 'non-self-contained accommodation' for family protection.
Recommendation: The use of the term “B&B” in legislation means that the law does not prevent families being placed in similarly inappropriate accommodation, such as some hostels, which are not always covered by the six-week limit. (Conclusion, Paragraph 46) In its …
Gov response: 25. Suitability legislation and guidance sets out that the local authority should only use out of area placements when it is not reasonably practicable to place the applicant locally. However, we recognise this is increasingly …
Under Consideration
#6 — Update Code of Guidance and end family placements sharing facilities with single adults.
Recommendation: We are alarmed to hear examples of families housed in temporary accommodation that included spaces shared with single adults with a history of domestic abuse. This is completely inappropriate and poses a potential safeguarding risk to children. Currently, there is …
Gov response: 22. Local authorities are already required to report to the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on instances of out of area placements as part of their quarterly Homelessness Case Level Information Collection …
Under Consideration
#4 — Unlawful and prolonged use of B&Bs for family temporary accommodation is increasing.
Recommendation: 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 …
Gov response: 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 …
Under Consideration
#1 — Persistent appalling conditions in temporary accommodation gravely endanger children's health and wellbeing.
Recommendation: The appalling conditions in some temporary accommodation in England are utterly shameful. We are concerned that issues of poor-quality temporary accommodation continue to persist, even though it is now over five years since the then Children’s Commissioner described these conditions …
Gov response: 11. There are legal requirements, guidance and redress routes in place for temporary accommodation. 12. We are already taking action on the issues raised by this recommendation. Through the Renters’ Rights Bill the Government is …
Under Consideration
#8 — Increased spending on SEND and temporary accommodation fails to meet people's needs.
Recommendation: Despite increased spending , there are indications that services are not meeting peoples’ needs, such as only 50% of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans for children and young people being issued within the 20-week statutory limit in 2023.15 MHCLG …
Gov response: 6.4 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: end of 2025 6.5 The government will provide further details on funding to support local authorities with key service pressures at the provisional Local …
Accepted
#12 — Faulty installations cause severe physical, emotional, and financial distress for households
Recommendation: Faulty installations can have wider impacts on households, beyond just living in unsafe, damp or mouldy homes. Respondents to Ofgem’s survey of people who used its ECO helpline reported being left without central heating over winter and having to seek …
Gov response: 1. PAC conclusion: A clear and catastrophic failure with external and internal wall insulation installations under ECO4 and GBIS has left more than 30,000 homes with defects. 1. PAC recommendation: The Department should not allow …
Not Accepted
PPO death in custody recommendations(1)
NAO audit recommendations(2)
The effectiveness of government in tackling homelessness
We recommend that DLUHC should explore how it can provide local authorities with greater predictability of funding for homelessness, within a spending review period.
Accepted
The effectiveness of government in tackling homelessness
We recommend that DLUHC should lead on producing a long-term strategy, and associated public targets, with regard to statutory homelessness.
Partially accepted
IMB annual reports(30)
Ashfield (2021)
HMP Ashfield is judged to be a well-managed Category C prison for sex offenders, maintaining high standards and humane treatment despite significant COVID-19 challenges. The prison effectively managed the pandemic, achieving low infection rates and progressively easing restrictions to maximize purposeful activity. Key concerns include persistent difficulties in securing suitable accommodation for released prisoners, a severe reduction in offending behaviour programme places, and issues with mental health support and equality and diversity monitoring.
PRISON
Key concerns
Brixton (2021)
The reporting year at HMP Brixton was dominated by COVID-19, leading to severe restrictions on the prison regime, impacting prisoners' mental health and resettlement opportunities. Despite significant efforts by staff and healthcare to maintain services and well-being, concerns persisted regarding the suitability of the offender flow system, inadequate accommodation for older prisoners, and a lack of D-category prison places. While self-harm incidents slightly decreased, assaults on staff increased, and substance misuse remained a challenge, with the Board commending positive aspects like food quality, staff commitment, and progress in education.
PRISON
Key concerns
New Hall (2021)
The Independent Monitoring Board at HMP New Hall reported a generally well-run and safe prison for the year ending February 2021, despite significant challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Positive aspects included improved healthcare staffing, reduced self-harm, and effective use of technology like Purple Visits to maintain family contact. However, key concerns persist regarding the lack of resettlement accommodation, the impact of Covid-19 on sentence progression, and persistent issues with late prisoner arrivals and lost property during transfers.
PRISON
Key concerns
Peterborough (Men) (2021)
HMP/YOI Peterborough (Men) operated under restricted Covid-19 regimes for the entire reporting year, impacting daily routines and rehabilitation. Despite this, the prison received credit for managing the pandemic well, leading to good safety outcomes, including significant reductions in violence and self-harm. Key concerns persist regarding resettlement accommodation, mental health provision in segregation, the future 'full regime,' and the full return of the key worker scheme.
PRISON
Key concerns
Askham Grange (2021)
Askham Grange is a safe, open women's prison with a strong resettlement ethos, treating prisoners fairly and humanely, and providing good healthcare. Key concerns include the delayed decision on the prison's future, the potential removal of popular single-occupancy pods, and the ongoing transfer of women with short sentences, which hinders resettlement efforts.
PRISON
Key concerns
Leicester (2023)
HMP Leicester is well-led, maintaining a relatively safe environment with reduced self-harm and assaults on staff, and improved reception facilities. Despite generally good physical and mental healthcare, significant concerns persist regarding long delays for mentally ill prisoners awaiting transfer, which can result in inhumane segregation. Staffing shortages have severely impacted key working and the regime on weekends, while aging infrastructure requires substantial capital investment, particularly for the gym. Resettlement efforts are hindered by a high proportion of men released without accommodation and underdeveloped substance misuse services.
PRISON
Key concerns
Leyhill (2024)
HMP Leyhill is a Category D open prison that demonstrated humane treatment, effective healthcare, and improved ROTL processes during the reporting year. The prison's population was 449 against an operational capacity of 460. Key challenges include a persistent lack of Approved Premises delaying releases, an inadequate food budget, and the impact of a changing prisoner demographic on safety and increased drug finds. Staffing pressures also affected healthcare, education, and social video calling provision.
PRISON
Key concerns
Leicester (2024)
HMP Leicester, a busy local prison, continues to be well led despite the challenges of old buildings needing investment and high prisoner churn. While staff-prisoner interactions are positive and resettlement planning is a strength, the Board remains concerned by rising self-harm incidents, delays in mental health transfers, prisoners leaving without accommodation, and deteriorating cell conditions. Key working remains insufficient, and the substance misuse unit is not delivering its full therapeutic regime.
PRISON
Key concerns
Bronzefield (2020)
HMP/YOI Bronzefield, a local female prison, effectively managed the initial COVID-19 lockdown, maintaining a nearly virus-free environment, but the sustained restricted regime led to a significant rise in self-harm and mental health concerns. Key issues included a high proportion of prisoners released without stable accommodation, persistent challenges with timely mental health transfers, and a shortage of cell keys affecting prisoner property security. Despite these, the Board noted positive developments in food quality, key worker implementation, and effective education provision during the pandemic.
PRISON
Key concerns
Chelmsford (2020)
HMP/YOI Chelmsford experienced a challenging year, with the latter half dominated by a restrictive COVID-19 lockdown which successfully prevented prisoner infections but curtailed regime activities. The Board raised significant concerns including overcrowding, the poor condition of A-wing, insufficient post-release accommodation, and issues with equality and mental health provision. Despite these failings, often attributed to government policy, the Board commended staff dedication and professionalism.
PRISON
Key concerns
Leicester (2021)
HMP Leicester is a well-run local male adult prison that maintained strong leadership and an engaged staff during a challenging year of COVID-19 restrictions. Despite prisoners being largely confined to cells for 23 hours daily, the prison saw significant reductions in violence, self-harm, and drug use, partly due to the restricted regime and enhanced security. The Board commended improvements in accommodation, healthcare, and resettlement support for homeless prisoners, though concerns remain regarding long waits for mental health transfers, IPP prisoner progress, and the impact of the ongoing restricted regime.
PRISON
Key concerns
Lincoln (2021)
HMP/YOI Lincoln is deemed a well-run Category B local prison, effectively managed by the Governor's team, which maintained a humane regime and kept prisoners safe despite severe COVID-19 restrictions. The reporting year saw significant reductions in self-harm and violence, coupled with improvements in the physical environment and infectious disease management. Key concerns include slow maintenance, high prisoner homelessness on release, long waits for mental health transfers, and the ongoing issue of IPP prisoners held beyond tariff.
PRISON
Key concerns
Bronzefield (2021)
HMP/YOI Bronzefield operated under severe Covid-19 restrictions, impacting prisoner well-being and regime delivery, exacerbated by staff absences. Despite these challenges, the prison managed the pandemic effectively, improved mental health transfers, and achieved Hepatitis C elimination. However, concerns remain regarding escalating self-harm incidents, a high number of prisoners released without accommodation, the prison's use as a 'place of safety' for mentally unwell women, and persistent drug ingress.
PRISON
Key concerns
Swansea (2022)
HMP Swansea is generally considered a safe and humane prison by the Board, with notable improvements in education, purposeful activity, and resettlement support. However, significant concerns persist regarding the inadequate mental health provision and the challenge of securing accommodation for prisoners on release. Other key issues include delays in cell refurbishment, poor disability access, and inconsistent reporting of segregation decisions to the Board.
PRISON
Key concerns
Bristol (2024)
HMP Bristol has made notable improvements in safety, regime consistency, and purposeful activity during the reporting year, with reductions in deaths in custody, self-harm, and violence. Staffing levels have reached full establishment, contributing to these positive changes. However, significant challenges persist, including severe overcrowding, limited mental health support for the general population, and issues with the physical environment, particularly a lack of in-cell sanitation in one wing. Resettlement support, the prevalence of illicit items, and the need for better IT infrastructure also remain key concerns for the Board.
PRISON
Key concerns
Leicester (2025)
HMP Leicester, a busy local male prison, continues to be well-led despite the challenges of an aging Victorian estate and high prisoner turnover. The reporting year saw a positive 33% reduction in self-harm incidents and no deaths in custody, alongside effective intelligence work to intercept illicit items. However, concerns persist regarding an increase in violent incidents, significant delays in mental health transfers, a lack of accommodation for 33% of prisoners on release, and the persistent availability of drugs.
PRISON
Key concerns
Low Newton (2025)
HMP/YOI Low Newton is a women's closed prison that has seen improvements in culture and regime under new leadership. While safety is prioritised, challenges remain with a high number of self-harm incidents and significant mental health needs among the population, often leading to the prison acting as a place of safety. Efforts are being made in purposeful activity, resettlement, and healthcare, with strong staff dedication noted.
PRISON
Key concerns
Thameside (2025)
HMP Thameside, a busy local Category B/C prison, faces significant challenges despite efforts to maintain safety. Key concerns include persistent issues with healthcare provision, delays in mental health transfers, and inadequate resettlement services leading to poor outcomes for prisoners. While there have been improvements in staffing levels and specific unit regimes, the Board remains concerned about the quality of ACCT documentation, inconsistent application of incentives, and late court returns.
PRISON
Key concerns
Stocken (2025)
HMP Stocken, a Category C training prison, maintained a generally safe environment for prisoners and staff during the reporting year, despite an increased population. The Board highlights persistent concerns including delays in mental health transfers, the loss of prisoner property due to inconsistent volumetric controls, and an insufficient number of cells for disabled prisoners. Positive developments include improved ACCT interactions, increased staff diversity, and effective key working, though staffing challenges and drone activity impacting regime remain.
PRISON
Key concerns
Leyhill (2021)
HMP Leyhill, a Category D open prison, maintained a safe and humane environment despite COVID-19 challenges during the reporting year. The Board commended the prison's response to the pandemic, its healthcare provision, and diverse purposeful activities. Key concerns persist regarding the unfair treatment and delayed resettlement of IPP prisoners and those awaiting approved premises, as well as recurring issues with prisoner property management and the need to restore creative arts programmes.
PRISON
Key concerns
Ranby (2021)
For the reporting period ending March 2021, HMP Ranby operated under severe Covid-19 restrictions, including a 22-hour lockdown. Despite this, the prison commendably controlled Covid-19 outbreaks and saw significant reductions in self-harm and violence. However, the Board highlighted recurring concerns regarding mental health provision, cell sharing, resettlement issues, and deficiencies in prisoner complaint handling and transfer processes.
PRISON
Key concerns
Foston Hall (2021)
HMP/YOI Foston Hall faced significant challenges in the reporting year ending November 2021, primarily from persistent Covid-19 restrictions and severe staffing pressures. The IMB acknowledged the dedication of staff and noted improvements in areas like induction and welfare checks. However, serious concerns remain regarding the prison's high self-harm rates, inadequate mental health provision, unsuitable accommodation, and the impact of staff shortages on regime delivery and prisoner resettlement.
PRISON
Key concerns
Northumberland (2021)
HMP Northumberland, a Category C prison, successfully managed the Covid-19 pandemic during 2021, maintaining a safe and humane environment with commendable staff dedication. While the regime was restricted, efforts were made to provide in-cell activities and gradually reopen purposeful activity. Key concerns remain around the lasting impact on prisoner mental health, insufficient opportunities for rehabilitation, and the unacceptable issue of prisoners being released into homelessness.
PRISON
Key concerns
The Mount (2022)
HMP The Mount experienced a second year of restricted Covid regimes (March 2021 – February 2022), leading to prisoners often being locked down for 23 hours a day, significantly impacting their mental and physical health. Despite challenges, the prison's management effectively controlled Covid outbreaks, and the new healthcare provider delivered a satisfactory service. Key concerns include insufficient Category D places, high staff turnover and low key worker engagement, inadequate estate maintenance, and persistent issues with property transfers and dentistry access.
PRISON
Key concerns
Wandsworth (2022)
HMP Wandsworth, a severely overcrowded reception prison holding 1,385 prisoners against a CNA of 961, faced significant challenges during the reporting period. Critical staff shortages severely impacted regime delivery and contributed to the prison being deemed unsafe due to rising violence and self-harm. Living conditions in the dilapidated Victorian buildings remained inhumane, while healthcare services suffered from long waiting times and poor inpatient facilities, and resettlement support for the majority remand population was inadequate.
PRISON
Key concerns
Wealstun (2022)
HMP Wealstun, a Category C training prison, experienced significant challenges during 2021-22, primarily due to severe staffing shortages that led to frequent regime curtailments and long periods of cell confinement. While healthcare provision was generally well-managed and positive work was noted in areas like substance misuse recovery and equality initiatives, major concerns persist regarding the inhumane treatment of IPP prisoners, the use of double cells, and the deteriorating conditions of older wings. The Board has made recommendations at national and local levels to address staffing, infrastructure, and resettlement pathways to ensure a humane and progressive environment.
PRISON
Key concerns
Wymott (2022)
HMP Wymott faced significant challenges from the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to a restricted regime, staff shortages, and increased self-harm incidents. While the Board commended efforts to maintain safety and improve medication delivery, major concerns persisted regarding dilapidated accommodation, persistent issues with prisoner property, and limited access to healthcare, particularly mental health and dentistry. The increasing number of IPP prisoners and challenges with progression and resettlement, including releases without accommodation, remain significant issues for the Board.
PRISON
Key concerns
The Verne (2022)
HMP The Verne, an adult training prison for men convicted of sexual offences, has largely restored its 'core day' regime following COVID-19, maintaining a safe environment with good staff-prisoner relationships and high-quality healthcare. However, the report highlights critical issues, particularly regarding the inadequate 24-hour social care and onsite hospital provision for its growing elderly and frail population. Significant understaffing in the Offender Management Unit continues to undermine resettlement efforts for the substantial number of prisoners released directly from this training prison, alongside concerns about low prisoner pay and a third of the population lacking purposeful activity.
PRISON
Key concerns
Yarl’s Wood (2022)
Yarl’s Wood IRC experienced a shift to a male-only population, including a significant increase in foreign national offenders, during the reporting year. The Board noted an increase in violence, self-harm incidents, and use of force, alongside persistent challenges with staff recruitment, retention, and communication due to language barriers. While healthcare provision was largely commended, concerns remain regarding the length of detention, delays in bail releases, and the need for more comprehensive planning for release and resettlement, particularly for FNOs.
PRISON
Key concerns
Foston Hall (2023)
HMP/YOI Foston Hall has shown positive developments in regime provision and some safety initiatives, yet it continues to grapple with persistently high self-harm rates and increased use of force. Staffing shortages have impacted key work and overall experience levels, while healthcare faces challenges with recruitment, missed appointments, and inadequate facilities. The Board highlights significant concerns regarding accommodation decency, delays in parole and mental health transfers, and a lack of analytical focus on protected characteristics, affecting fair treatment and access to services.
PRISON
Key concerns
IMB individual recommendations(85)— showing 50 strongest matches
Birmingham (2021)
What will the minister do to ensure that prisoners on remand, on short sentences, reaching the end of their sentence and those released out of their home area who are not on probation are given access to accommodation on release, as at present, as this will not be covered by the new contract with Nacro?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Birmingham (2021)
Will the Minister improve the management of immediate releases from court to “no fixed abode” and will he ensure that the Courts have a role to play to help ensure better communication and co-ordination with their local resettlement services so that no-one is immediately released to sleep on the streets?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Norwich (2021)
How is the Government planning to build on the regional homelessness prevention taskforce (HPT) to eradicate homelessness for released prisoners and ensure that there is equity of accommodation provision for the homeless throughout the UK?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Northumberland (2021)
Additionally, the full effect of the transition to the new probation service has yet to be evaluated, but we are aware that men are released into homeless situations and we find this unacceptable. We would seek confirmation from the minister that those agencies charged with the responsibility of housing men on release are doing just that and, more importantly, that …
Ministry of Justice
Foston Hall (2021)
The IMB is concerned about: the increase in the number of prisoners being released without an address
Governor / Director
In Progress
Chelmsford (2021)
To exert influence to ensure provision of suitable permanent accommodation for prisoners upon release, so that no prisoner ends up on the street.
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Cardiff (2021)
The Board was pleased to hear that support for men who are leaving prison without settled accommodation is being extended until April 2022. However, there appears to be a lack of available and suitable accommodation, particularly in certain areas, and we would be interested to see what steps the Welsh Government is able to take, jointly with local authorities, to …
Other
In Progress
Swansea (2022)
The Board continues to be concerned around prisoners leaving custody without accommodation in future. The good work being undertaken in preparing prisoners for release and with employment on release has the potential to be undone by the lack of suitable accommodation.
Other
Bronzefield (2022)
What has the Mayor’s office for policing and crime done in the last year to increase the availability of accommodation for those prisoners who leave prison with no fixed abode? Will the Mayor provide a response to this issue which the Board has raised annually since 2017? (See paragraphs 7.5.1 and 7.5.2, 7.5.3.)
Other
Swansea (2023)
Post-release accommodation remains a significant problem. We understand this is not an issue that can be easily resolved but would like to see the targeting of funding towards the resolution of this particular problem. The Board is very clear in its view that lacking a ‘roof over your head’ is a major contribution to reoffending.
Other
In Progress
Foston Hall (2023)
How will you address the problem of prisoners being homelessness on release?
Governor / Director
Bronzefield (2023)
What has the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime done in the last year to increase the availability of accommodation for those prisoners who leave prison with no fixed abode? The Mayor will note from the ‘Progress’ column in paragraph 3.3 below, that none of the initiatives in the ‘Summary Response’ have had any material or lasting positive impact on …
Other
Bullingdon (2024)
How will the Minister work with others to find accommodation for men at risk of being homeless on their release from Bullingdon?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Bronzefield (2024)
How does the Minister plan to improve the support of prisoners released from court or at short notice, who are discharged without suitable accommodation? (7.5)
Ministry of Justice
Implemented
Bullingdon (2025)
how will the Minister work with others to find accommodation for men at risk of being homeless upon their release from Bullingdon?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Cardiff (2020)
We would ask whether this scheme will be continued for prisoners leaving custody without accommodation?
Other
In Progress
Bedford (2020)
Ensure that no prisoners are released without stable accommodation.
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
New Hall (2021)
The Board remains concerned about the lack of appropriate resettlement accommodation.
Ministry of Justice
Lewes (2021)
Will the Minister engage with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to improve the coordination between the prison service and local authorities so that pre-release assessments are completed by both parties in advance of prisoner release in all cases?
Other
In Progress
Exeter (2021)
Intensify efforts to support individuals who are at risk of homelessness on their release from prison and increase the level of expectations on local authorities and the Probation Service to improve accommodation outcomes (see 7.4).
Ministry of Justice
Brixton (2021)
increasing the supply of accommodation for men released from prison is urgently required.
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Belmarsh (2021)
Will the minister look urgently at the provision for those prisoners on remand in order to • speed up the courts process so that prisoners are not kept on remand for a prolonged period • ensure that those prisoners on remand who stand to lose their accommodation due to longer stays in prison, have housing support from St. Mungo’s or …
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Wandsworth (2022)
At the time of this report, housing services are only offered to sentenced prisoners. When will this be extended to unsentenced prisoners?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Low Newton (2022)
The Minister should make an assessment of the effectiveness of current contracts for the resettlement of prisoners who have no permanent home to go to upon release, given the importance of this issue in reducing re-offending.
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Bronzefield (2022)
Following reunification of the probation services in June 2021, the survey undertaken by the Board in early 2022 found there continued to be a significant problem in the provision of accommodation for prisoners on release. What are the Minister’s plans for this issue to be addressed urgently? (See paragraph 7.5.3.)
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Brixton (2022)
The provision of accommodation for men released from prison during Covid was most welcome but, since the relaxation of restrictions, the number of men with no accommodation to go to has again risen. The scarcity of affordable accommodation in London in particular militates against successful re-entry into the community and undermines good work undertaken in prison. Accordingly, increasing the supply …
Other
Bronzefield (2024)
How does the Minister plan to improve ‘through the gate services’ to ensure that discharged prisoners are properly supported in the community? (7.5)
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Wandsworth (2020)
The poor quality of the resettlement provision continued to be of serious concern. What is being done to improve this?
HMPPS
In Progress
Swaleside (2020)
In our report last year, we mentioned that it is essential that residents are provided with resettlement services, preferably in a prison nearer to their home as they reach the end of their sentences. This service has not been provided from Swaleside. Though there were only 17 residents released from the prison in the last year, none of them were …
HMPPS
In Progress
Nottingham (2020)
We also report the significant Board concern in relation to the number of prisoners released without accommodation, and the inadequacy of bail hostel accommodation availability, preventing prisoners from securing home detention curfew (HDC) for which they might otherwise have been eligible. This situation results from failings in the wider community and is beyond the control of the prison and the …
Other
In Progress
Lincoln (2020)
Despite the great efforts made locally, the Board remains concerned about the high level of homelessness of discharged prisoners (see paragraph 11.16).
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Exeter (2020)
Will the Secretary of State exert influence to ensure the provision of suitable permanent accommodation for prisoners upon release, so that no prisoner ends up homeless or with no fixed abode?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Dovegate (2020)
The Board asks the minister to encourage the government to continue the National Homelessness Task Force after the pandemic, so that resettlement departments have this additional help to provide settled accommodation on release to prisoners without strong family ties.
Other
In Progress
Bedford (2020)
Take a lead in addressing the ongoing problem of prisoners being released into the community with no stable accommodation.
HMPPS
In Progress
Moorland (2021)
Can the increased accommodation provision for released prisoners being piloted be rolled out as swiftly as possible to all areas?
HMPPS
In Progress
Hollesley Bay (2021)
That particular attention is given to prisoners when they leave prison having access to suitable accommodation and employment opportunities.
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Bedford (2021)
The performance of the new contract for accommodation on release is less than encouraging, and the management arrangements make it difficult for the prison, locally, to influence outcomes. As with all the outsourced services, the prison Governor is accountable for the outcomes without the responsibility for delivery. Clear and quick mechanisms need to be in place for the resolution of …
HMPPS
In Progress
High Down (2022)
Without accommodation on release it is difficult for people to find a job, support themselves and make a fresh start, avoiding a return to prison. What steps does the minister intend to take to ensure that everyone leaving custody has somewhere to live immediately on release? (see section 7.5.)
Ministry of Justice
Hewell (2022)
The Prison Service should recognise the gap between rhetoric and reality in respect of their national aspirations for resettlement and reducing reoffending. However good the education, vocational training and employment support in prison, homelessness, poverty and the current economic situation makes many of the stated aspirations totally unrealistic. This is exacerbated by the high number of remand prisoners in local …
HMPPS
Accepted
Belmarsh (2022)
Will the Minister act upon the issues noted last year, which have not progressed as yet: ensure accommodation support for prisoners on remand (see section 7.5 Resettlement planning)
Ministry of Justice
The Mount (2023)
The Board is concerned that, as a training and resettlement prison, the prison is failing to provide meaningful education, employment and training. This is made worse by the prison having a number of short-term prisoners arriving. Too many prisoners are released before completing their offending behaviour programmes and with no accommodation on release.
Ministry of Justice
Exeter (2023)
Address the lack of accommodation available for some prisoners on their release from prison?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Ashfield (2024)
In common with other prisons, a small number of prisoners released from Ashfield in the last 12 months did not have suitable accommodation arranged prior to release. What solution is the Minister proposing to resolve this matter?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Lincoln (2025)
The Board recommends that the Minister addresses the issue of accommodation for prisoners being released with no fixed abode (NFA).
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Doncaster (2025)
The Board remains concerned about the high number of prisoners being released with no fixed abode? What steps will the Minister take to work with the relevant government departments to develop and implement a coordinated plan to address this serious issue?
Other
In Progress
Rochester (2020)
Re-offending rates cannot be reduced unless there is suitable accommodation for all prisoners who have completed their sentence; too many prisoners are released from Rochester to become homeless rough sleepers. The recent initiative for prisons to refer those at risk of homelessness to local authorities, as referred to by the Minister in replying to previous reports, does not seem to …
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Ranby (2020)
Will the minister explain why 36% of prisoners are released with no fixed abode, and why for the same reason prisoners suitable for home release are not being allowed out of HMP Ranby?
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Peterborough (Women) (2020)
The Board remains concerned about the lack of suitable accommodation for women on release (see paragraph 11.3), as proper resourcing of accommodation could be cost-effective in reducing reoffending.
Ministry of Justice
In Progress
Chelmsford (2020)
to exert influence to ensure the provision of suitable permanent accommodation for prisoners upon release, so that no prisoner ends up on the street
Other
In Progress
Wayland (2021)
The Board urges the minister to charge the public sector successors to the community rehabilitation companies with ensuring that, for all prisoners, there is effective planning for, and confirmed accommodation upon, their release (see section 7.5).
Other
Implemented
LGO / SPSO decisions(810)
21-018-788 — London Borough of Lambeth
Summary: We shall not investigate Mr X’s complaint about what happened when he asked the Council for help to move home. This is because the Council has agreed my invitation to provide a suitable remedy for Mr X.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Sep 2022
21-016-752 — Basildon Borough Council
Summary: Mr X complained about how the Council dealt with his homelessness application between August and October 2021. He says the Council’s poor service led to a hospital admission and has had an enduring impact on his mental health. The Council was at fault. It did not do enough to …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Sep 2022
22-006-191 — London Borough of Lewisham
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council failed to pay Mr X the financial remedy it agreed in its complaint response. That is because the Council has now processed the payment and apologised for the delay.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Sep 2022
24-017-655 — London Borough of Redbridge
Summary: Mr F complains about the Council’s handling of his homelessness. There was some delay and poor communication but the Council has already apologised for this which is an appropriate remedy for the injustice caused. I do not find fault in the rest of the complaint.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Oct 2025
24-014-942 — Newcastle upon Tyne City Council
Summary: Mr D complained the Council failed to accept a homelessness application, provide a decision or provide emergency accommodation. I have found the Council at fault because it failed to follow the correct process. The Council has agreed to make service improvements, and will pay redress to Mr D.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Oct 2025
24-020-904 — London Borough of Redbridge
Summary: Mr X complained the Council housed him and his family in unsuitable accommodation and had poor standards of communication and complaint responses. He said this caused significant uncertainty, frustration and distress. We find the Council at fault for housing his family in unsuitable accommodation and some of its communication …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Oct 2025
25-006-792 — Harborough District Council
Summary: We have upheld Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of her homelessness application because it delayed accepting a main housing duty, failed to keep her personalised housing plan under review and failed to offer temporary accommodation when it should have done. The Council has agreed to take appropriate …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Nov 2025
25-004-222 — London Borough of Barnet
Summary: The Council was at fault for giving Mr X incorrect information about whether it could offer him financial assistance with securing private rented accommodation. As a result Mr X signed a tenancy agreement he otherwise would not have accepted and has gotten into debt. The Council agreed to apologise …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Dec 2025
24-015-013 — Thurrock Council
Summary: Miss X complained that the Council delayed accepting a homelessness application referral. We found fault by the Council which caused Miss X avoidable distress and meant she lived in an unsuitable property for longer than necessary. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a symbolic payment to Miss …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Jan 2026
20-012-056 — Horsham District Council
Summary: Mr X complained about the Council’s failure to act when it became aware his temporary accommodation was unsuitable due to an inadequate water supply. He said this caused him an injustice as his medical condition meant the lack of water supply caused him severe difficulties. He was also upset …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Feb 2022
21-005-670 — London Borough of Lambeth
Summary: Mrs X complained the Council wrongly placed her in a temporary accommodation which was not properly set up for the individual billing of utilities and council tax. We found the Council at fault for placing Mrs X in the accommodation without ensuring it was properly set up for individual …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Feb 2022
21-005-238 — London Borough of Southwark
Summary: Miss K complained the Council abruptly moved her without enough notice to another temporary accommodation. She also said the new accommodation was unsuitable. We found the Council at fault for failing to give Miss K enough notice about the move and properly consider the impact this caused her. The …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Mar 2022
21-011-385 — Brighton & Hove City Council
Summary: Miss X complains the Council delayed deciding her mother’s homelessness application and placed her family in unsuitable accommodation. Miss X says this caused her and her family significant distress and caused them to live in unsuitable accommodation for longer than necessary. The Ombudsman finds fault with the Council for …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Jun 2022
21-007-352 — Milton Keynes Council
Summary: Miss Y complained the Council failed to provide her with suitable interim and temporary accommodation and about its assessment of her bedroom entitlement. We have found fault by the Council in the provision of suitable accommodation and in delays and the way it considered Miss Y’s request for an …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Jul 2022
22-006-602 — London Borough of Ealing
not exercise discretion to investigate this complaint about the suitability of temporary accommodation offered to Miss X and the Council’s removal of her application for the housing register after she took a tenancy outside the Borough in 2019. The complaint was received outside the normal 12-month period for investigating complaints. …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Sep 2022
21-017-005 — London Borough of Brent
Summary: Ms X and Mrs P complained the Council failed to properly manage their homelessness and housing register applications since 2020. We have found the Council to be at fault because there was some delay and Ms X was prevented from joining the housing register at the right time. There …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Sep 2022
22-001-951 — Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
Summary: The Council failed to deal properly with Ms B’s homelessness application and left her and her child in unsuitable accommodation for 10 months longer than necessary causing them distress and anxiety. The Council also failed to communicate with Ms B and keep her updated. In recognition of the injustice …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Oct 2022
22-008-850 — Salford City Council
Summary: A woman complained about the Council’s decision to end its homelessness duty in her case and its refusal to accept another homelessness application. But we will not investigate these matters because the woman had statutory review and potential court appeal rights she could have used to challenge the Council’s …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Nov 2022
22-000-755 — Manchester City Council
Summary: Miss E complained the Council failed to deal with disrepair issues in her temporary accommodation. We find the Council delayed following up on some disrepair issues. The Council has agreed to our recommendations to address the injustice caused by fault.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Nov 2022
21-017-877 — Tandridge District Council
Summary: Miss B says the Council failed to tell her about the rent and service charge amounts before she moved into her accommodation failed to provide her with weekly or monthly statements, withheld service charges from her housing benefit reimbursement, failed to explain how the service charge amount had been …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Nov 2022
21-017-670 — London Borough of Newham
Summary: Miss X complained about how the Council dealt with the long‑term disrepair and management issues at her temporary accommodation. The Council was at fault with how it dealt with Miss X’s concerns. This caused Miss X distress, time and trouble, frustration and she remained in an unsuitable accommodation for …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Nov 2022
24-000-812 — Runnymede Borough Council
Summary: Mr X says the Council did not give him enough time to consider its offer of a property. We will not investigate as Mr X has made his complaint late and there are no good reasons to investigate now.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
May 2024
23-021-004 — Stoke-on-Trent City Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the actions of the Council before and during Mr Y’s homeless application. This is because there is no worthwhile outcome achievable by our investigation.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
May 2024
23-021-249 — London Borough of Enfield
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about a home Mr X leased to the Council. This is because it is reasonable to expect Mr X to use his right to take court action.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
May 2024
23-020-254 — Thurrock Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s decision on a homeless application. It was reasonable for Mr X to ask for a statutory review of the decision and appeal to the County Court if this was unsuccessful.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
May 2024
23-015-333 — London Borough of Southwark
Summary: Miss X complained the Council has provided temporary accommodation that is unsuitable for her and her family. We found fault by the Council because it did not consider its legal duty to find Miss X and her family suitable temporary accommodation, and they remain in unsuitable accommodation. The Council …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Jul 2024
23-020-078 — Watford Borough Council
Summary: Miss D says the Council failed to correctly assess her housing needs. We have found evidence of fault by the Council. We have completed the investigation and upheld the complaint. The Council has agreed to our proposed remedy including paying redress to Miss D.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Sep 2024
24-009-457 — London Borough of Lewisham
Summary: The Council was at fault for delays and poor communication regarding repair issues Ms X raised regarding her temporary accommodation. The Council has agreed to apologise and make a payment to Ms X to acknowledge the additional frustration and distress caused, beyond that already remedied through its complaint responses. …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Jun 2025
25-003-739 — London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s handling of her homelessness and housing register applications. This is because further investigation is unlikely to lead to a different outcome.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Sep 2025
24-023-098 — Birmingham City Council
Summary: Mr B complained that the Council failed to properly deal with his housing and homelessness complaints. We find that the Council failed to carry out a homelessness review, determine what duty it owed him, issue a written decision and appropriately address Mr B’s complaints. This caused him avoidable distress, …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Sep 2025
23-018-027 — London Borough of Lambeth
Mr X complains the Council has housed him in unsuitable temporary accommodation and is in the wrong banding for his medical priority need. We find fault with the Council for failing to find suitable alternative temporary accommodation for Mr X. We agreed a financial remedy for the frustration and distress …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Oct 2024
25-000-506 — Basildon Borough Council
Summary: The Council was at fault for failing to house Miss X in suitable accommodation after she became homeless. It later moved Miss X but failed to properly consider if that new accommodation was suitable for her and delayed carrying out a review of one of its decisions. The Council’s …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Dec 2025
25-002-098 — London Borough of Lambeth
Summary: Ms X complains the Council has delayed in offering new temporary accommodation despite accepting the current accommodation was unsuitable. Ms X says this has caused her and her family a great deal of distress. We have found fault in the Councils actions for delaying in reviewing Ms X’s accommodation …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Dec 2025
25-002-805 — London Borough of Lambeth
Summary: We found fault and service failure by the Council on Mr Y’s complaint about it failing to transfer him and his large family from his accommodation which it accepted was unsuitable. The Council failed to consider the suitability of the accommodation sooner when alerted to problems. It delayed carrying …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Jan 2026
24-022-711 — Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
Summary: Ms D complains the Council delayed considering her homelessness application and left her in unsuitable interim accommodation. I have found extensive fault by the Council meaning Ms D was left in unsuitable accommodation. I have asked the Council to pay redress to Ms D.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Jan 2026
25-002-741 — London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham
Summary: Mr X complained the Council delayed assessing his homeless application and in providing him with accommodation and failed to respond to his communications. The Council delayed dealing with the homeless application, delayed providing interim accommodation and failed to respond to communications from Mr X and his representatives. That caused …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Jan 2026
25-001-063 — Gosport Borough Council
Summary: Miss Y complained about the Council’s response to her report of disrepair at her private rented accommodation and request for housing assistance. We have found fault, causing injustice, by the Council in its response to the report of disrepair. We have not found fault with its response to the …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Jan 2026
25-000-676 — West Lindsey District Council
Summary: Mrs X complained on behalf of her husband about the Council’s actions when they became at risk of homelessness. I find no fault in the Council’s actions leading up to the family’s eviction, nor in its actions in trying to secure suitable temporary accommodation. However, I do find fault …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Jan 2026
25-012-003 — Reading Borough Council
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
25-006-631 — London Borough of Lewisham
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
25-006-066 — London Borough of Wandsworth
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
25-003-153 — London Borough of Lambeth
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
PSOW-202407485 — Cardiff Council
Ms A complained that in February 2024, when she was assisted by Cardiff Council (“the Council”) to complete a housing benefit application, she was not informed that she could not apply, needing to apply for Universal Credit instead. The Ombudsman found that Ms A had been assisted to complete a …
PSOW (Public Services Om…
Local Government
Apr 2025
21-013-368 — Westminster City Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about the Council’s handling of Miss X’s homelessness application. This is because Miss X had the right to go to court.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Jan 2022
21-013-294 — Westminster City Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about Mr X’s homelessness application. The Council has offered a suitable remedy for some faults dealing with the application. It is now for the Council, not the Ombudsman, to decide what homelessness duties the Council owes Mr X.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Jan 2022
20-013-904 — Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
Summary: Miss C complained the Council refused her housing application based on incorrect information and delayed awarding her the right housing priority. Miss C says she experienced distress and injury because she had to live in an unsuitable property. We found fault with the Council because it delayed referring Miss …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Jan 2022
20-010-367 — Birmingham City Council
Summary: The Council delayed processing a change to Mr and Mrs B’s housing circumstances which meant they were unable to bid on properties of the size they needed. The Council also delayed dealing with their complaints about this. There was no fault in the way the Council decided which housing …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Feb 2022
21-004-362 — Royal Borough of Greenwich
Summary: Mr X complained about the way the Council dealt with his homelessness applications and discharged it duties. The Council’s delays and failures to properly advise Mr X amount to fault. This fault has caused Mr X an injustice.
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Feb 2022
21-014-390 — London Borough of Haringey
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council dealt with Miss X when she was homeless. This is because she has not been caused a significant injustice in relation to the Council’s action in providing her with temporary accommodation. The Council has also acknowledge delays in responding …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Upheld
Mar 2022
21-008-627 — London Borough of Newham
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about how the Council managed temporary accommodation for homeless households. This is because the complaint relates to issues raised in 2018 and 2019 so it is a late complaint and there are no good reasons to investigate now. The Council has also not …
LGO (Local Government & …
Housing
Mar 2022