Issue

Temporary accommodation

119 stories · discussed at 68 council meetings · 32 councils

Councils are addressing budget pressures from temporary accommodation costs, implementing new strategies, and increasing housing supply.

Ealing Council's Cabinet approved a new policy in October 2026 to standardise temporary accommodation placements, while Wandsworth Council plans to implement 10-year leases for temporary homes to cut costs. Several councils are reporting significant budget overspends, with Wandsworth projecting a £5.3 million overspend and Sutton facing a £36.5 million budget gap over three years, partly due to housing pressures.

Brent Council anticipates spending £38 million on nightly paid temporary accommodation, forecasting a £9.5 million overspend in the first quarter of 2026/27. Havering Council's new Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Strategy aims for £11-12 million annual savings by reducing reliance on temporary accommodation. Croydon Council is planning 1,000 new homes to tackle homelessness and reduce temporary accommodation use, submitting a bid to the GLA in September 2026.

Waltham Forest Council's Planning Committee granted permission in September 2026 for a property to be converted into temporary accommodation for 14 households. Lewisham Council's Mayor and Cabinet approved spending £135 million on temporary accommodation over the next three years in September 2026. Wandsworth Council's Cabinet will discuss this topic on October 12, 2026, and Westminster's General Purposes Committee on October 14, 2026.

Key facts

  1. Ealing Council's Cabinet approved a new policy for homeless household placements on October 7, 2026. Source
  2. Wandsworth Council is forecasting a £5.3 million overspend for the current financial year. Source
  3. Sutton Council faces a £36.5 million budget gap over the next three years. Source
  4. Wandsworth Council is set to implement 10-year leasing agreements for temporary accommodation. Source
  5. Brent Council anticipates spending £38 million on nightly paid temporary accommodation. Source
About this summary

This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 9 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.

Stories, page 14

  1. Internal Audit Gives Croydon Council 'Substantial Assurance' Croydon Council's internal controls have received a vote of confidence, with an internal audit report giving the authority 'Substantial Assurance'. Croydon 2 August 2025
  2. Harrow Struggles with Call Wait Times, Fly-Tipping, Highway Repairs Harrow residents are experiencing longer call wait times, persistent fly-tipping, and delays in highway repairs, according to the latest performance report. The Performance and... Harrow 31 July 2025
  3. H&F Council Faces £6.4M Overspend on Temporary Accommodation Hammersmith and Fulham Council is grappling with a significant overspend of £6.4 million on temporary accommodation, despite efforts to mitigate the rising costs of homelessness... Hammersmith and Fulham 29 July 2025
  4. Croydon Considers Compensation Clauses for Out-of-Borough Housing Providers Croydon Council is considering implementing compensation clauses in contracts for out-of-borough housing placements. These clauses would be triggered if providers fail to... Croydon 26 July 2025
  5. Newham Considers Using Housing Fund Outside Borough Amid Financial Pressures and Best Value Notice Newham Council is considering using its housing acquisition fund outside of the borough, officials revealed at a recent Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting. The move comes... Newham 25 July 2025
  6. Newham Council Faces Scrutiny Over Rising Children in Care Costs; Plans New Children's Home Newham Council is facing increased scrutiny over the rising costs of children in care, despite plans to open a new home for young people with complex needs. The issue was... Newham 25 July 2025
  7. Hackney to Buy 125 Homes for Temporary Accommodation Hackney Council is set to purchase 125 homes to be used as temporary accommodation, addressing a critical need for stable housing and aiming to alleviate the council's current... Hackney 25 July 2025
  8. Westminster Council Overspends by £13.6M, Offset by Reserves; Approves Capital Program Reprofiling Westminster Council's Cabinet has acknowledged a £13.6 million overspend in the General Fund for the 2024/25 financial year, but has assured residents that reserves will cover... Westminster 20 July 2025