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Homelessness

167 stories · discussed at 266 council meetings · 33 councils

Councils are currently focusing on increasing temporary accommodation supply and developing strategies to prevent homelessness and boost housing.

Tower Hamlets Council's Cabinet approved plans in October 2026 to acquire commercial buildings for 180 new temporary homes, aiming to reduce costly out-of-borough placements. Brent Council's Cabinet approved a five-year plan in October 2026 to improve temporary accommodation quality, while Ealing Council's Cabinet adopted a new three-zone policy for placements. Brent Council is also facing anticipated expenditure of £38 million on nightly paid accommodation, with a forecasted £9.5 million overspend, as discussed in September 2026.

Several councils are implementing strategies to prevent homelessness and increase housing supply. Hackney Council's 'no fixed abode' market licenses helped two individuals secure housing and income in October 2026. Brent Council's Cabinet approved a community housing project for 19 affordable homes in October 2026, and its five-year plan aims to prevent homelessness for 42% of households. Croydon Council approved a strategy in September 2026 to save £10 million by 2030, prevent homelessness earlier, and increase housing supply, also planning 1,000 new homes.

Key facts

  1. Tower Hamlets Council's Cabinet approved plans in October 2026 to acquire commercial buildings for 180 new temporary homes. Source
  2. Hackney Council's 'no fixed abode' market licenses helped two individuals secure housing and income in October 2026. Source
  3. Brent Council's Cabinet approved a five-year plan in October 2026 to combat homelessness and rough sleeping, aiming to prevent homelessness for 42% of households. Source
  4. Ealing Council's Cabinet approved a new policy in October 2026 to standardise the placement of homeless households in temporary accommodation. Source
  5. Croydon Council approved a Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan in September 2026, projecting £10 million in savings by 2030. 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 22 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.

Stories, page 7

  1. New legislation forces changes to Hackney planning decisions Hackney Council is preparing to significantly reform its planning decision-making processes in line with new national legislation, the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025,... Hackney 25 July 2026
  2. Lambeth Council Recovers £1.2m in Right to Buy Fraud and 79 Tenancies Lambeth Council has successfully recovered over £1.2 million in fraudulent Right to Buy discounts, as revealed in a report presented to the Audit and Risk Committee. The... Lambeth 25 July 2026
  3. City of London Approves Third Dockless Cycle Hire Operator, Voi, with Revised Operator Agreements The City of London has approved the addition of a third dockless cycle hire operator, Voi, to operate within the Square Mile. The decision was made during a meeting of the... City of London 23 July 2026
  4. Redbridge Council's Medium Term Financial Strategy Faces Uncertainty Redbridge Council faces significant financial uncertainty, with projections indicating a substantial funding gap from the 2029/30 financial year onwards. Despite securing an... Redbridge 21 July 2026
  5. Hackney to insource Family Group Conferencing Hackney Council's Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee has agreed to bring the Family Group Conferencing (FGC) service back in-house, creating a new Family Led Decision... Hackney 19 July 2026
  6. Haringey Council Approves New Contract to Expedite Council Home Repairs Haringey Council's Cabinet has approved a new contract aimed at speeding up repairs to council homes. Haringey 18 July 2026
  7. Merton Council buys 125 homes for homeless Merton Council has approved the purchase of 125 homes to increase the availability of affordable housing for residents at risk of homelessness. Merton 17 July 2026
  8. Merton Council Reports £0.5m Revenue Underspend Amidst Service Pressures Merton Council has reported a net underspend of £0.5 million on its revenue budget for the 2025/26 financial year, according to the latest outturn report. However, the report... Merton 17 July 2026