Overview

• A Citizens UK report reveals that 130,000 households, including 165,510 children, are currently in temporary accommodation across England, the highest levels ever recorded.
• Some families have spent decades in temporary housing, including one family in Croydon since 1998, highlighting the chronic nature of the crisis.
• Affluent boroughs like Richmond-upon-Thames displace over 75% of homeless households outside their boundaries, often into more deprived areas, exacerbating inequality.
• Residents face steep ancillary costs, including storage debts exceeding £8,000 and laundry expenses of up to £900 annually, while lacking basic amenities like cooking facilities or washing machines.
• The government has pledged £1 billion for homelessness services and plans to build 1.5 million homes, but the crisis persists due to systemic underinvestment and housing shortages.