Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Temporary Accommodation

24 October 2024 · 1 other contributor

Opened by Josh Babarinde Lib Dem Eastbourne

HousingBenefits & Welfare

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Josh Babarinde raised concerns about temporary accommodation in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Kelly faced eviction and struggled to find affordable housing due to landlord requirements, leading her family into inadequate temporary accommodation.
  • The number of families in temporary accommodation has risen to 117,450, with local authorities like Eastbourne Borough Council facing increasing costs from 2.2 million to an estimated 5 million.
  • The Minister committed to initiatives such as abolishing section 21 no-fault evictions and extending Awaab's law to cover private landlords.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Josh Babarinde Lib Dem Eastbourne

I raised the issue of the crisis of temporary accommodation, highlighting the case of a constituent named Kelly who faced eviction and struggled to find affordable housing due to stringent requirements set by landlords. This led Kelly's family into temporary accommodation that was inadequate for their needs. The speech emphasised the growing number of families in temporary accommodation (117,450) and the financial burden on local authorities like Eastbourne Borough Council, which has seen costs rise from £2.2 million to an estimated £5 million this year. It also addressed the need for better conditions in temporary accommodation and called for a strategy to end homelessness, including building more social housing.

Other contributors (1)
  • James Asser Lab Newham

    He discussed the severe situation in his constituency of Newham where there are over 6,700 households in temporary accommodation and highlighted the urgent need for financial support to address the immediate crisis.

Government Response

Rushanara Ali

The Minister acknowledged the severity of the issue and outlined several initiatives already underway, including multi-year funding settlements, ending competitive bidding for funds, and increasing social housing construction. She committed to abolishing section 21 no-fault evictions and extending Awaab’s law to cover private landlords. The response also emphasised the need for collaboration between local government, regional bodies, and charitable organisations in developing a comprehensive strategy to address homelessness.

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