Issue

Homelessness

156 stories · discussed at 243 council meetings · 32 councils

Councils are grappling with rising homelessness costs and implementing new strategies to increase housing supply and improve prevention.

Croydon Council approved a new strategy in September 2026 to tackle homelessness, aiming for £10 million in savings by 2030 by prioritising prevention and increasing housing supply. The council also plans to build 1,000 new homes and has reduced void turnaround times by 55% since March 2023. Meanwhile, Brent Council is facing escalating costs for temporary accommodation, with an anticipated £38 million expenditure.

Hackney Council is investing £145 million in its Homelessness and Temporary Accommodation Supply Transformation Programme for 2026/27, but saw a 29% decrease in prevention success in the first four months of 2026/27, attributed to private rented sector evictions. Waltham Forest Council approved an £18 million investment in September 2026 to convert four buildings into 60 temporary homes for homeless families.

Lewisham Council is set to spend £135 million on temporary accommodation over the next three years, with Mayor and Cabinet approving procurement in September 2026. Hammersmith and Fulham Council's new Housing Strategy for 2026-2031 includes preventing homelessness through early intervention. Councils will continue to address homelessness in upcoming meetings, including Ealing Cabinet on 07 October 2026 and Brent Cabinet on 12 October 2026.

Key facts

  1. Croydon Council approved a new strategy in September 2026 to tackle homelessness, projecting £10 million in savings by 2030. Source
  2. Brent Council anticipates spending £38 million on nightly paid temporary accommodation, forecasting a £9.5 million overspend in Q1 2026/27. Source
  3. Hackney Council allocated £145 million for its Homelessness and Temporary Accommodation Supply Transformation Programme for 2026/27. Source 1 Source 2
  4. Hackney Council reported a 29% decrease in successful homelessness prevention and relief outcomes in the first four months of 2026/27. Source 1 Source 2
  5. Waltham Forest Council approved an £18 million investment in September 2026 to convert four buildings into 60 temporary homes. Source
About this summary

This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on, with background from Wikipedia. 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 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.

Stories, page 18

  1. Harrow Council Reports £1.5M Surplus Amid Audit Concerns, Property Revaluations, and Risk Register Highlights Harrow Council has reported a £1.5 million surplus for the 2024-2025 financial year, despite concerns raised during a Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee... Harrow 25 July 2025
  2. Tower Hamlets Faces £16.9m Homelessness Budget Pressure Amid Rising Temporary Accommodation Numbers Tower Hamlets is grappling with significant budgetary pressures, particularly in addressing homelessness, with a projected £16.9m overspend. The issue was brought to light... Tower Hamlets 23 July 2025
  3. Lambeth's Homelessness Strategy Focuses on Prevention, Accommodation Lambeth Council is intensifying its efforts to prevent homelessness and provide appropriate accommodation, according to an update presented at the Housing Scrutiny Sub-Committee... Lambeth 22 July 2025
  4. Southwark Council Reviews Financial Management Compliance Southwark Council's Audit, Governance and Standards Committee convened on Monday, 14 July 2025, to review the council's financial management and governance practices. The... Southwark 21 July 2025
  5. Waltham Forest Libraries to Become Community Support Hubs Waltham Forest libraries are set to become hubs for community support, offering a range of services to residents in a more accessible and integrated way. Through Waltham Forest... Waltham Forest 20 July 2025
  6. Westminster to Acquire Property for Temporary Accommodation Westminster City Council is set to purchase a newly constructed freehold building in the HA0 area to provide temporary accommodation for those in need, as part of a broader... Westminster 20 July 2025
  7. Newham Council approves temporary accommodation in Plaistow Newham Council has approved a planning application to convert a former office building in Plaistow into temporary accommodation for vulnerable individuals. The development,... Newham 20 July 2025
  8. Camden Seeks Public Input on Homelessness Strategy Camden Council is seeking public input on its draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025-2030, which builds upon the previous strategy from 2019-2024. The strategy aims... Camden 20 July 2025