Charities have accused a number of London councils of acting unlawfully by targeting particularly vulnerable individuals, including refugees and survivors of sex trafficking, forcing them to accept housing hundreds of miles away from their support networks or face life on the streets.
In one case, a single mother from Albania who had fled sex trafficking gangs in Belgium and Manchester was granted asylum in the UK and sought help from Ealing council. She told housing officers she would feel "completely hopeless and unsafe" outside London, where she was receiving vital support. Three weeks later, the council offered her a property more than 250 miles away in County Durham. When she raised concerns, officers emailed her links to support services—but one was in Durham, North Carolina, USA, and the other in Durham, Ontario, Canada.
The woman, who cannot be named, won a legal challenge in the High Court in November, with the judge ruling that Ealing council had acted unlawfully. Ealing council acknowledged the seriousness of the judgment and said it has strengthened its processes to ensure each case is assessed individually, considering vulnerability and safeguarding risks. However, the council is appealing the ruling, insisting the County Durham property was suitable.
Another case involves a 24-year-old Albanian mother, referred to as IRT in legal proceedings, who also survived sex trafficking. Last November, Redbridge council moved her to a house 250 miles away in a town in north-east England, separating her one-year-old daughter from her father, who still lives in London. IRT said she felt pressured to accept the offer or risk homelessness with her child. The street where she now lives is partly abandoned, leaving her isolated and fearful. She described hearing a woman scream for help near her door, adding that her baby has become withdrawn and is not speaking at 19 months.
Shelter, the housing charity, supported IRT in filing an appeal to the county court. Redbridge council said demand for affordable housing far exceeds supply and that its staff ensure no decisions are taken without proper consideration or in a way that disadvantages particular groups.
Charities say these cases are part of a pattern where London councils use "inhumane" ultimatums to move vulnerable homeless people to some of the poorest parts of England, often acting unlawfully and targeting those who may not speak English or understand their rights.
