A Labour-run council in Enfield, London, has left over 100 families homeless after they refused to relocate outside their borough. According to FOI data, Enfield had the highest number of households affected in England, with a significant number of offers for housing outside the capital being rejected. The council's aggressive relocation strategy has drawn criticisms from activists who argue that it disrupts social networks and compounds vulnerability among families. The situation reflects a broader national issue where councils terminate housing support if families decline offers deemed reasonable, exacerbating homelessness.
Perhaps as a result, three-quarters of their offers were rejected, the highest refusal rate of any London council.
It’s outrageous, Enfield-based housing and union activist Paul Kershaw told the Observer.
You have families here with kids and everything, and what happens is that all your community networks break down.
A report published last year by Housing Action Southwark and Lambeth (HASL) found that 94% of Enfield council's offers of private rented housing to homeless people in 2023 were outside the capital.
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