Plan to house families beyond Home Counties paused

Tower Hamlets Council has put a halt on changes to its temporary accommodation policy

An east London council has paused plans to place homeless families in temporary accommodation beyond the Home Counties and remove a 90-minute journey time limit.

Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman said more time was needed to "properly review" the council's revised Homelessness Accommodation Placement Policy.

The proposal has been criticised by opposition councillors, who describe it as a "terrible policy" that does not recognise the impact on vulnerable families.

Mr Rahman said on Wednesday the pause was due to new council data and the arrival of a Labour government.

He told a cabinet meeting that the new government had talked extensively and promisingly about solving the housing crisis, adding that the new data showed the number of families in Tower Hamlets waiting in hotels for accommodation had dropped from 43 in October 2023 to one, as of this week.

"Crucially, this progress has been made under the existing policy," he said.

Homeless children

The decision follows a meeting on 2 September which saw the council reaffirm its commitment to the policy.

A cabinet report had said that by creating four housing zones, from A to D, it would have “greater control” and transparency when finding accommodation for families.

Zone A would be within the borough of Tower Hamlets, Zone B would be within Greater London, while Zone C would see families placed in the Home Counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

Zone D would place homeless families in accommodation beyond the Home Counties, more than a 90-minute journey away.

The council said families would be allocated zoned accommodation depending on the age of their children, with older children prioritised for homes in the borough.

Kabir Ahmed, cabinet member for regeneration, inclusive development and housebuilding, told the 2 September meeting that the council would look to house people in Tower Hamlets first and then "move outwards".

The decision prompted a protest outside Tower Hamlets Town Hall in Whitechapel from residents and housing campaigners.