Redbridge Council Faces Backlash Over Family’s Hostel Stay

Key Points

• A family with four children was kept in unsuitable temporary accommodation by Redbridge Council for over 14 months.
• The accommodation was a single room in a hostel or hotel, forcing the family to share tight space, which disrupted schooling and sleep.
• The family reportedly faced anxiety, stress, and deterioration in mental health due to prolonged inadequate living conditions.
• Redbridge Council accepted its main housing duty late, after moving the family through multiple hotels and eventually into a hostel.
• The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman ordered the council to pay £7,600 compensation and issue an apology.
• The family rejected offered options including a small studio flat and out-of-borough accommodation due to concerns about space and schooling.
• Critics cited the council’s failure to adequately review harm caused by prolonged unsuitable housing.
• Redbridge Council faces wider criticism amid London’s housing crisis and growing demand for family-sized social housing.
• The council reports spending millions on temporary accommodation but struggles with supply due to government underinvestment.
• Councils around London are experimenting with shared hostel accommodation to alleviate B&B usage, aiming to protect children and families.

What happened to the family placed by Redbridge Council in temporary accommodation?

As reported by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO), a family living in the London Borough of Redbridge was kept in unsuitable temporary accommodation for 14 months. The family, which includes four children, some adults, was initially placed in hotels and then moved to a single room in a hostel before Redbridge finally accepted full housing duty in July 2023. The council’s delay and failure to provide suitable accommodation caused significant stress and disruption to the family’s life.​

How did the accommodation affect the family’s wellbeing and children’s education?

According to findings by the Ombudsman and testimonies from the family, the cramped and substandard accommodation caused multiple issues. The children had to share beds and lacked any private space to do schoolwork, impacting their education and sleep quality due to noise and overcrowding. The mother reported increased anxiety, stress, and panic attacks stemming from these poor living conditions. The council was criticised for not considering the mother’s mental health needs and for misinterpreting her signals as uncooperative behaviour.​

What options did Redbridge Council offer and why were they rejected?

Redbridge Council offered the family a choice of a small studio flat, which would have forced the entire family to live, sleep, and study in one room, or accommodation outside the borough, either in the north or Midlands. The mother rejected the studio flat as unsuitable and the out-of-borough option due to her children’s schooling commitments and lack of support networks outside London. The council then argued it had no ongoing duty to house the family, which led to further delay.​

What has the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman said about Redbridge Council’s handling of the case?

Michael King, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, stated:

“Councils should balance the impact of being housed in bed and breakfast accommodation against the effect this might have on children, regardless of which Act the council is housing them under. In this case, two children were left for far too long in poor accommodation. This left them – in their own words – ‘stuck in a cycle of instability’ and unable to fulfil their potential in school”.

The Ombudsman ruled that Redbridge Council’s failure to regularly review the family’s situation or assess harm caused was maladministration and ordered the council to pay £7,600 compensation and issue a formal apology.​

How has Redbridge Council responded to criticism about temporary accommodation?

A spokesperson for Redbridge Council acknowledged the ongoing housing crisis across London, citing a long waiting list for family-sized accommodation in the borough and chronic underinvestment in social housing by central government. The council stated it is reviewing its temporary accommodation processes and striving to move families into suitable housing as quickly as possible. Redbridge also revealed it spent £52 million on temporary accommodation last year alone, a figure it described as “staggering” and “simply unsustainable”.​

What is the broader context of temporary accommodation issues in London boroughs?

Housing shortages and increased demand for family-sized social housing have forced London boroughs to rely heavily on temporary accommodation, including bed and breakfasts, hostels, and hotels. Many councils, including Redbridge and Haringey, have introduced shared hostel accommodation with onsite support as a better alternative to B&Bs, though sharing kitchens and bathrooms remains a challenge for families. Despite these efforts, the shortage of suitable, affordable housing remains a pressing issue, affecting thousands of families and children across the capital.​

What are the next steps for this family and others in similar situations?

Following the Ombudsman’s report and compensation ruling, the family was moved out of unsuitable accommodation into a hostel in late July 2023. Redbridge Council has committed to improving its housing allocations and addressing temporary accommodation challenges through crackdowns on misuse and prioritising placements for families with children. However, the systemic housing shortage in London means that many families remain in temporary housing that falls short of ideal living standards, underscoring the urgent need for increased social housing investment.