MPs Demand Immediate Action on 'Devastating' Temporary Accommodation Crisis
The government is facing urgent calls from MPs to address what they describe as a 'devastating' crisis in temporary accommodation across the United Kingdom. This follows the publication of alarming new data linking the deaths of more than one hundred children to their living conditions in such facilities.
Shocking Child Mortality Figures Revealed
According to a report released by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Households in Temporary Accommodation, a total of 104 children died with temporary accommodation listed as a contributing factor to their vulnerability, ill-health, or death. This data covers the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2025 and has been sourced from the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD).
Dame Siobhain McDonagh, chairwoman of the APPG, expressed her outrage at these findings, stating she was 'appalled to see yet another rise in the number of children whose deaths have been linked to temporary accommodation'. She further described the situation as 'absolutely scandalous' and called for public outrage over the figures, which also include data on stillbirths and neonatal deaths.
Record Numbers of Children in Temporary Accommodation
The crisis is compounded by the fact that the number of children living in temporary accommodation continues to reach record highs. Official statistics from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government show that at the end of September, a total of 175,990 children were in such accommodation in England alone. This represents a significant increase of 7 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.
Temporary accommodation, often referred to as a form of 'hidden' homelessness, includes locations such as bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) and hostels. The APPG report also noted that between October 2023 and September 2025, an additional 140 children whose main residence was listed as temporary accommodation had died. Assessments are ongoing to determine if their living conditions contributed to these deaths, with the report cautioning that confirmed links could significantly raise the current figures.
MPs and Charities Condemn 'Unfit' Conditions
A separate report from the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee has warned that conditions in temporary accommodation are 'often so poor as to be unfit for human habitation'. The committee's chairperson, Florence Eshalomi, described the crisis as a 'normalised emergency', with many families stuck in so-called temporary accommodation for years without a permanent home.
The group of MPs has urged the government to take immediate action, including:
- Strengthening protections against substandard housing conditions
- Phasing out unsuitable options like shared facilities for families
- Planning for a long-term supply of quality temporary housing
Housing charity Shelter echoed these concerns, calling it a 'national scandal for any child to die homeless in this country'. They attributed the crisis to a 'dire lack of secure and genuinely affordable social homes', which has trapped over 175,000 children in unsafe temporary accommodation.
Government Response and Future Commitments
Homelessness minister Alison McGovern responded to the reports, stating: 'It breaks my heart that B&Bs are tragically contributing to the deaths of children. We must and we are improving the whole system, so every child can get the best start in life.'
She highlighted the government's child poverty strategy, published in December, which includes a commitment to eradicate unsuitable or poor-quality accommodation and ensure children in temporary accommodation do not experience gaps in healthcare provision. The strategy also pledges to end the unlawful placement of families in bed and breakfasts beyond the six-week limit.
To support these efforts, the government has confirmed the continuation of an £8 million pilot programme for the next three years across 20 local authorities with the highest numbers of families in temporary accommodation. This initiative aims to address the immediate needs while working towards long-term solutions to this deepening crisis.
