FAQs
Temporary housing for people who without it would be homeless.
Temporary accommodation (TA) is a broad term that describes temporary housing for people who are homeless. People who are placed here often have little or no tenancy rights.
Anyone can be placed in temporary accommodation by local authorities under the Housing Act 1996, providing they fit the criteria of being in priority need and are ‘vulnerable enough.’ This is often families with children, pregnant women, elderly people and individuals who are particularly vulnerable.
Others find themselves living in temporary accommodation through other means, such as placements under different legal duties held by either the National Probation Service or Adult Social Care. They can also end up there through a self-placement, where an individual can turn up and get a room.
Latest government figures show there are officially 105,750 households in temporary accommodation (TA) including 139,840 children; a new high since records began 25 years ago. However, many people slip through the cracks and go unrecorded, therefore the real figures are likely to be much higher. All people living in temporary accommodation are hidden homeless because their experience of homelessness is not visible in the way that street homelessness (rough sleeping) is.
Temporary accommodation (TA) is a broad term that describes temporary housing for people who are homeless. People who are placed here often have little or no tenancy rights.
Anyone can be placed in temporary accommodation by local authorities under the Housing Act 1996, providing they fit the criteria of being in priority need and are ‘vulnerable enough.’ This is often families with children, pregnant women, elderly people and individuals who are particularly vulnerable.
Others find themselves living in temporary accommodation through other means, such as placements under different legal duties held by either the National Probation Service or Adult Social Care. They can also end up there through a self-placement, where an individual can turn up and get a room.
Latest government figures show there are officially 105,750 households in temporary accommodation (TA) including 139,840 children; a new high since records began 25 years ago. However, many people slip through the cracks and go unrecorded, therefore the real figures are likely to be much higher. All people living in temporary accommodation are hidden homeless because their experience of homelessness is not visible in the way that street homelessness (rough sleeping) is.
Although intended to be temporary, the acute shortage of truly affordable housing in the UK means that people can wait years for a longer-term home. Many residents can be stuck in this accommodation from anywhere between 6 months and 36 years (the longest placement into TA on record!
There is a 6 week limit on the length of time a family with children can live in a B&B, yet of the 4,480 households with children in B&Bs, 2,510 had been resident for more than the statutory limit of 6 weeks, up 146.1% from last year.
There is a 6 week limit on the length of time a family with children can live in a B&B, yet of the 4,480 households with children in B&Bs, 2,510 had been resident for more than the statutory limit of 6 weeks, up 146.1% from last year.
Rough sleeping is the side of homelessness that we can see, but the majority of homelessness remains hidden. Latest Government figures place around 3000 people as sleeping rough in England, yet there are currently around 96,060 households in temporary accommodation alone.
Those experiencing hidden homelessness live out of sight in hostels, squats, B&Bs and other forms of temporary accommodation; some sofa surf with friends or family.
Although they have a roof over their head,people living in temporary accommodation are homeless because they don’t have access to safe, secure and settled housing of their own.
A home is more than shelter, it’s a place of safety, calm and comfort – somewhere that is yours. Living in a B&B, sleeping on someone’s floor, or in a hostel denies people privacy and a chance to feel safe and secure.
Some causes of hidden homelessness
While it is technically true that homelessness could happen to anyone, it’s important to emphasise that poverty dramatically increases the likelihood of someone falling into homelessness.
Someone who comes from a family who have experienced poverty is far more likely to become homeless than someone who was raised in a middle-class family. Joseph Rowntree Foundation defines poverty as:
“not being able to heat your home, pay your rent, or buy the essentials for your children. It means waking up every day facing insecurity, uncertainty, and impossible decisions about money…The constant stress it causes can lead to problems that deprive people of the chance to play a full part in society.
Race, sexuality, age, disability and time spent in institutions like prison can also increase a person’s risk of homelessness. People who experience disadvantages in these areas are less likely to have the necessary resources needed to maintain stable housing.”
- Poverty
- Childhood trauma
- Rising house prices
- Lack of social housing
- Job loss
- Traumatic life events
- Breakdown of family relations
- Domestic abuse and other forms of abuse
- Health issues
- Shortage of public services
- Leaving prison or the army without a home
While it is technically true that homelessness could happen to anyone, it’s important to emphasise that poverty dramatically increases the likelihood of someone falling into homelessness.
Someone who comes from a family who have experienced poverty is far more likely to become homeless than someone who was raised in a middle-class family. Joseph Rowntree Foundation defines poverty as:
“not being able to heat your home, pay your rent, or buy the essentials for your children. It means waking up every day facing insecurity, uncertainty, and impossible decisions about money…The constant stress it causes can lead to problems that deprive people of the chance to play a full part in society.
Race, sexuality, age, disability and time spent in institutions like prison can also increase a person’s risk of homelessness. People who experience disadvantages in these areas are less likely to have the necessary resources needed to maintain stable housing.”
Physical conditions in temporary accommodation
Poor living conditions have consistently emerged as a key theme in all research into temporary accommodation. Common complaints include dampness, a lack of heating and basic appliances, poor hygiene and infestations.
While some temporary accommodation is well run, it is often overcrowded, leaving residents with no choice but to share facilities such as kitchens, toilets, bathrooms, living rooms and stairways, which can lead to a lack of cleanliness.
Many families and individuals share filthy, squalid bathrooms, which they report are regularly out of order. We’ve also heard accounts of bed bug infestations, mice, and residents having to sleep next to walls covered in black mould.
The social environment of temporary accommodation
Typically, temporary accommodation is populated by individuals with a history of substance misuse and mental health problems, many of whom suffer from past or ongoing trauma.
Tenants have no control over who is placed alongside them or over who their neighbours will be. While some do find friendships in these accommodations, there is a significant degree of distrust between residents. Many residents have stories of their rooms being broken into, of coming back and finding someone in their room, of not knowing who else had a key to their room. This not only creates feelings of insecurity but also allows a culture of bullying and intimidation to take root. Some residents can be disruptive and noisy at all hours of the day and night, and there are instances of violence and crime. This lack of safety and security, exacerbated by the noisiness and chaos that surrounds them, can be extremely stressful for someone trying to recover from a history of abuse, crime, substance misuse or trauma.
Poor living conditions have consistently emerged as a key theme in all research into temporary accommodation. Common complaints include dampness, a lack of heating and basic appliances, poor hygiene and infestations.
While some temporary accommodation is well run, it is often overcrowded, leaving residents with no choice but to share facilities such as kitchens, toilets, bathrooms, living rooms and stairways, which can lead to a lack of cleanliness.
Many families and individuals share filthy, squalid bathrooms, which they report are regularly out of order. We’ve also heard accounts of bed bug infestations, mice, and residents having to sleep next to walls covered in black mould.
The social environment of temporary accommodation
Typically, temporary accommodation is populated by individuals with a history of substance misuse and mental health problems, many of whom suffer from past or ongoing trauma.
Tenants have no control over who is placed alongside them or over who their neighbours will be. While some do find friendships in these accommodations, there is a significant degree of distrust between residents. Many residents have stories of their rooms being broken into, of coming back and finding someone in their room, of not knowing who else had a key to their room. This not only creates feelings of insecurity but also allows a culture of bullying and intimidation to take root. Some residents can be disruptive and noisy at all hours of the day and night, and there are instances of violence and crime. This lack of safety and security, exacerbated by the noisiness and chaos that surrounds them, can be extremely stressful for someone trying to recover from a history of abuse, crime, substance misuse or trauma.
Mental health
Most temporary accommodation residents experience issues related to mental health such as isolation, loneliness, paranoia and anxiety. Many residents with clinically diagnosed mental health issues such as depression, personality disorder, anxiety and psychosis find that their current living situation exacerbates their mental health issues. Individuals in shared temporary accommodation usually have small rooms with basic furnishing. Some people end up spending most of their time confined to their rooms, with little to keep them occupied, and limited contact with others, which only compounds feelings of loneliness and isolation. Stress is a common problem. Losing your home is already traumatising, and the chaotic living environment found in much of temporary accommodation can be re-traumatising for some people.
Physical health
People who are homeless are more likely to experience health issues than the general population. 73% of people who are homeless face physical health problems (Homeless Link, 2014). The longer people remain without a home, the more health issues multiply, and the more difficult they are to overcome.
Most temporary accommodation residents experience issues related to mental health such as isolation, loneliness, paranoia and anxiety. Many residents with clinically diagnosed mental health issues such as depression, personality disorder, anxiety and psychosis find that their current living situation exacerbates their mental health issues. Individuals in shared temporary accommodation usually have small rooms with basic furnishing. Some people end up spending most of their time confined to their rooms, with little to keep them occupied, and limited contact with others, which only compounds feelings of loneliness and isolation. Stress is a common problem. Losing your home is already traumatising, and the chaotic living environment found in much of temporary accommodation can be re-traumatising for some people.
Physical health
People who are homeless are more likely to experience health issues than the general population. 73% of people who are homeless face physical health problems (Homeless Link, 2014). The longer people remain without a home, the more health issues multiply, and the more difficult they are to overcome.
Inclusion of temporary accommodation in strategies to end homelessness
National strategies to end homelessness tend to focus exclusively on rough sleeping, without acknowledging temporary accommodation as part of the picture of homelessness in the UK. Current initiatives suggest that short-term housing solutions, like temporary accommodation, will continue to be used in the long term, to the detriment of people living here. Unless temporary accommodation is acknowledged, accepted and addressed as part of homelessness, people who are placed here will remain hidden and stuck.
Introduce national regulation for temporary accommodation
Introduce national minimum standards for temporary accommodation and enforce them through a national temporary accommodation regulator with sufficient powers to meaningfully intervene when standards are not met. Minimum standards should include:
– WiFi
– Clean bedding and mattresses
– Working cooking and laundry facilities
– Disability adaptations such as handrails, door-openers, and regular upkeep of lifts.
Safe sleeping equipment (cots, moses baskets, baby gates) – Adequate space for children to learn and play There are recommendations for additional standards outlined in the APPG report.
Ownership and agency
The lack of control people who are homeless feel over their lives is a consistent theme in our research (Hidden Homelessness Exposed, 2021) that impacts people’s mental health. Residents who are given a role in choosing their accommodation were noticeably more resilient, highlighting the importance of ownership and agency in their lives. Where possible, residents should be involved in decision-making as equals.
Implementation of Trauma-Informed Care across relevant sectors
Homeless households are likely to struggle with poor mental health when living in temporary accommodation. In addition to greater access to mental health services, the creation of Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE) and Trauma Informed Care (TIC) are good practices which should be developed and adapted across organisations to improve support provision.
– WiFi
– Clean bedding and mattresses
– Working cooking and laundry facilities
– Disability adaptations such as handrails, door-openers, and regular upkeep of lifts.
Safe sleeping equipment (cots, moses baskets, baby gates) – Adequate space for children to learn and play There are recommendations for additional standards outlined in the APPG report.
Ownership and agency
The lack of control people who are homeless feel over their lives is a consistent theme in our research (Hidden Homelessness Exposed, 2021) that impacts people’s mental health. Residents who are given a role in choosing their accommodation were noticeably more resilient, highlighting the importance of ownership and agency in their lives. Where possible, residents should be involved in decision-making as equals.
Implementation of Trauma-Informed Care across relevant sectors
Homeless households are likely to struggle with poor mental health when living in temporary accommodation. In addition to greater access to mental health services, the creation of Psychologically Informed Environments (PIE) and Trauma Informed Care (TIC) are good practices which should be developed and adapted across organisations to improve support provision.