Commons Sense

House of Commons · General Debate

Children in Temporary Accommodation England 2025-04-03

03 April 2025 · 7 other contributors

Opened by Florence Eshalomi Lab/Co-op Vauxhall and Camberwell Green

Housing

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Florence Eshalomi raised concerns about children in temporary accommodation england 2025-04-03 in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.

Key points

  • Children in temporary accommodation in England face unsuitable and often dangerous living conditions, including overcrowding and lack of basic facilities.
  • Local authorities spent around 2.29 billion on temporary accommodation for children in 2023-24.
  • The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee calls for mandatory inspections of housing before it is used as temporary accommodation and an end to mixed placements like bed and breakfast accommodation.

How the debate unfolded

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

Opened the debate

Florence Eshalomi Lab/Co-op Vauxhall and Camberwell Green

Today, the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee publishes our first report of the Session, following our inquiry on children in temporary accommodation. Over 164,000 children wake up without a permanent roof over their head every morning, with local authorities spending around £2.29 billion on temporary accommodation in 2023-24. The report highlights the unsuitable and often dangerous conditions of temporary accommodation for families, including overcrowding, lack of basic facilities, and significant costs to public services. It calls for mandatory inspections of housing before it is used as temporary accommodation and an end to mixed placements such as bed and breakfast accommodation. The committee also recommends a formalised notification system so that schools and GPs are alerted when children become homeless.

Other contributors (7)
  • Meg Hillier Lab/Co-op Hackney South and Shoreditch

    Commends Florence Eshalomi on her leadership of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee. Highlights that there are 3,770 children in temporary accommodation from her borough alone, equivalent to filling eight primary schools. Asks for an indication of when the inter-ministerial group report will come out and what the committee will do to follow up on it.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Commends Florence Eshalomi for addressing the issue of homeless children. Suggests that rental accommodation is too expensive, there is high demand for social housing and issues with mould and damp. Asks if she would share the report with the relevant Minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

  • Naushabah Khan Lab Gillingham and Rainham

    Commends Florence Eshalomi as a member of the Select Committee, agrees that the Government should look carefully at evidence about out-of-borough placements on children, families, and host boroughs when thinking about future legislation.

  • Chris Vince Con Harlow

    The MP highlighted the impact of being in temporary accommodation on learning and raised concerns about rent increases due to changes in universal credit housing element. He suggested that the committee should consider these issues.

  • Florence Eshalomi Con Barking

    The Chair commended joint working with teaching professionals, acknowledged the long-term ambition of building affordable homes but emphasised interim measures needed to address temporary accommodation issues. She welcomed the cross-departmental ministerial team and stressed the importance of inter-Department collaboration.

  • Bell Ribeiro-Addy Lab Clapham

    The MP congratulated Florence Eshalomi on the report, noting its relevance in her constituency. She advocated for rent controls to address unregulated private sector rents forcing families into temporary accommodation.

  • Liam Conlon Lab Beckenham and Penge

    The MP highlighted the impact of temporary accommodation on children's education, health, and wellbeing in his constituency. He urged for tackling this crisis to improve outcomes for children.

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