Ministers could ban London councils from sending homeless families hundreds of miles away under measures being considered to address the practice, the Guardian has learned. The policy, which has grown due to Britain's housing crisis, has been criticized by MPs and charities for coercing vulnerable people, including domestic abuse victims, into moving to cheap, sparsely furnished properties in some of the poorest areas of the country.
Concerns over coercion and safety
MPs said vulnerable people, including women fleeing abuse, were being coerced into choosing between rough sleeping or moving to distant properties. Charities reported that some domestic abuse victims returned to their abusers rather than move north, while others remained in emergency refuges for longer periods.
Government crackdown
Alison McGovern, the homelessness minister, described the practice as a real worry and stated that the government is prepared to clamp down on the worst forms after a review. Government guidance already states that out-of-area placements should never be determined solely by cost, but McGovern indicated that further measures may be needed.
Florence Eshalomi, chair of the Commons housing select committee, urged ministers to consider introducing a limit on the distance of all out-of-area placements. Jonathan Brash, Labour MP for Hartlepool, called for the law to be radically tightened, arguing that the policy increases local tension and rips at the social fabric of towns like his.
Legal and financial issues
Under the Housing Act, councils must find accommodation within their borough as far as reasonably practical. If placed outside, they must notify the other local authority. However, several London councils have been found to have acted unlawfully in recent years. Some councils pay millions to intermediary companies like Reloc8, which specializes in moving homeless families out of the capital. Shelter's Sophie Earnshaw said such companies offer a quick fix but profit from the housing crisis.
Impact on victims
The Guardian reported on a domestic abuse victim placed 200 miles from London, surrounded by drunk and aggressive men, who eventually ran away. Bo Bottomley of Refuge noted that unsuitable housing forces survivors to stay in refuges longer, blocking others in need. Charities also highlighted that councils often ignore cultural and religious needs, such as a Muslim woman sent to a predominantly white village with the nearest mosque 90 minutes away by bus.
Official figures show the number of families moved out of London doubled from 670 in 2023 to 1,300 in 2025, though the true figure is believed higher. London Councils stated most placements are to bordering counties and that they have engaged with north-east authorities.
