Length of stay in temporary accommodation
Key points
- Almost half of households leaving temporary accommodation in London had spent more than two years in such accommodation.
- This compares to about 7% elsewhere in England.
- The unusually long time spent in temporary accommodation in London explains why the capital has a disproportionately high rate of households in such accommodation
The length of time spent in temporary accommodation, measured upon leaving
What does this graph show?
The indicator on temporary accommodation showed that London has an unusually high proportion of households in such accommodation. This graph offers an explanation: it shows that London has such a high proportion of households in temporary accommodation because many households spend a long time in it.
47% of households leaving temporary accommodation in London had spent more than two years in such accommodation, compared with 6% elsewhere in England.
Similarly, about two-thirds of households leaving temporary accommodation in London have spent at least one year there. In the rest of England, two-thirds spend less than six months in temporary accommodation.
So, whilst the numbers entering temporary accommodation are a little higher in London than elsewhere, the length of time spent in such accommodation is a lot higher. The long length of stay indicates a shortage of suitable housing to move into. This explains why there are so many households in temporary accommodation in London.
Data used
DCLG 2009
Indicator last updated: 18 October 2011
Topic:
Groups:
Boroughs:
- Barking and Dagenham
- Barnet
- Bexley
- Brent
- Bromley
- Camden
- City of London
- Croydon
- Ealing
- Enfield
- Greenwich
- Hackney
- Hammersmith and Fulham
- Haringey
- Harrow
- Havering
- Hillingdon
- Hounslow
- Islington
- Kensington and Chelsea
- Kingston upon Thames
- Lambeth
- Lewisham
- Merton
- Newham
- Redbridge
- Richmond upon Thames
- Southwark
- Sutton
- Tower Hamlets
- Waltham Forest
- Wandsworth
- Westminster
Housing and homelessness
- Households accepted as homeless by borough
- Households accepted as homeless and in temporary accommodation
- Temporary accommodation by borough
- Mortgage repossessions by borough
- Landlord repossessions by borough
- Rough sleeping in London
- Temporary accommodation by tenure
- Overcrowded households by tenure over time
- House prices by borough
- Changes to Housing Benefit
- London households affected by Housing Benefit changes
- Rental shortfall resulting from Housing Benefit changes
- Housing tenure
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Glossary
Temporary Accommodation:
Otherwise known as "interim" or "emergency" accommodation in B&Bs, hostels, bedsits and flats. People who are recognised as homeless by their local authorities are housed in temporary accommodation until their needs have been properly assessed and suitable accommodation found
Homeless:
To be formally recognised as homeless, the person or household must either lack a 'licence to occupy' a home, be unable to access their normal accommodation, or it must be considered unreasonable for them to have to occupy the home they are in
(Adapted from the Housing Act 1996 Part VII para 175)