Eighth record in a row of children in temporary accommodation, as one in three homeless households placed out of area
Posted 30 Apr 2025
Eighth record in a row of children in temporary accommodation, as one in three homeless households placed out of area
Shelter calls for urgent investment in Spending Review to end housing emergency
New government statutory homelessness figures released today reveal 165,510 children are now homeless and living in temporary accommodation – a 14% increase in a year and the eighth record high in two years. Meanwhile nearly one in three homeless households (32%) are stuck in temporary accommodation out of their area.
The new data for October to December 2024 provides a grim snapshot of the deepening housing emergency in England with:
43,110 stuck in very expensive nightly-paid accommodation, which can include self-contained rooms, that are even more cramped than B&Bs – a rise of 47% in a year.
41,070 households uprooted from their communities and now housed in out of area temporary accommodation - a 23% rise in a year. Nearly half (46%) of London households are accommodated out of area.
23,230 households stuck in B&Bs and hostels – some of the most damaging forms of temporary accommodation for children – a rise of 5% in a year.
Shelter is warning that without urgent government investment, homelessness and its staggering costs to councils will continue to skyrocket. Using historical trends and government data, new analysis by Shelter estimates that 206,000 children will be homeless by 2029 and the number of households in temporary accommodation could surge by 44%. Without critical investment in social housing, the charity says that the cost of temporary accommodation is on track to spiral by 71% to £3.9 billion by 2029.
Mairi MacRae, Director of Campaigns and Policy at Shelter, said: “The housing emergency has reached critical levels and 165,510 children are paying the price. Without serious investment in social homes, our research shows homelessness will continue to skyrocket up and down the country and temporary accommodation costs risk bankrupting councils.
“In the absence of enough social homes, people are being funnelled into and trapped in temporary accommodation for years on end while billions are spent on sticking plaster solutions. Families are stuffed into unsuitable spaces, living on top of each other and out of suitcases, never knowing if and when they’ll be forced to uproot their lives.
“With the June Spending Review a few short weeks away, now is the time to turn the tide on the housing emergency. Government can and must commit ambitious investment to the only solution that works - 90,000 social rent homes a year for ten years would end homelessness for good.”
Anyone who is facing homelessness can get free and expert advice from Shelter by visiting www.shelter.org.uk/get_help.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Notes to Editor
Statutory homelessness statistics relate to the quarter October – December 2024. They collate information on statutory homelessness applications, duties, and outcomes for local authorities in England, as well as households in temporary accommodation (TA). Unlike other data in this dataset, the TA figures are a snapshot at the end of the quarter, not a cumulative total of all placements across a quarter. The figures are available at: MHCLG, Live tables on homelessness, Statutory Homelessness Live Tables, Table TA1.
127,890 households were recorded to be living in temporary accommodation in England at the end of December 2024. This figure has increased by 14% (15,280 households) since the end of December 2023 and is the highest number on record.
165,510 children were recorded to be living in temporary accommodation in England at the end of December 2024. The number of children in temporary accommodation has increased by 14% (19,730 children) since the end of December 2023 and is the highest number since records began (June 2004). The previous record was set in 2006 (130,470). This was broken at the end of March 2023 (131,500). It has continued to rise, and set new records, in each quarter since then.
43,110 households were recorded as living in nightly-paid, privately managed accommodation, self-contained in England at the end of December 2024. This figure has increased by 47% (13,720 households) since the end of December 2023.
41,070 households were recorded as being placed in TA in another local authority district at the end of December 2024. This is 32% of all England households in TA. This figure has increased by 23% (7,750 households) since the end of December 2023. Amongst London households in TA, 46% are housed out of area.
23,230 households were recorded as living in B&Bs or hostels in England at the end of December 2024. This figure is produced by summing those accommodated in B&Bs with those accommodated in hostels. This figure has increased by 5% (1,030 households) since the end of December 2023.
Shelter has carried out analysis to estimate the number of households and children living in temporary accommodation (TA) in 2029 and the associated cost of provision. The projection is based on historical trends and government data to show the likely forecast if current trends continue. Full press release available at: Housing emergency set to leave 206,000 children homeless by end of this Parliament - Shelter England
About Shelter: Shelter exists to defend the right to a safe home and fight the devastating impact the housing emergency has on people and society. Shelter believes that home is everything. Learn more at www.shelter.org.uk