Council accused of 'intimidating' homeless families

"Families living in temporary accommodation have accused a south London council of making "intimidating" unannounced home visits which they say left them fearing eviction. Housing Action Southwark and Lambeth (HASL) said some families have had unannounced visits from Lambeth Council's housing officers, while others received unexpected emails about being moved far outside London. The housing campaign group claimed the council's efforts to reduce the temporary accommodation costs have created a "confusing and stressful" environment."

"Lambeth Council said it had a duty to visit families in temporary accommodation to inspect housing conditions and to help them find long-term, stable homes. In November, the council announced that most homeless households would need to be placed outside the borough, and often beyond the south east of England, due to a lack of suitable accommodation locally. The move followed a major review of its Placement Policy, which had remained largely unchanged for more than a decade."

"The cost of temporary accommodation in Lambeth has risen to more than 100m a year, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). The council must find 183m in savings over four years. It has so far identified 99m, with a further 84m still to be found before March 2026. The number of homeless households supported by the council has increased by about 50% in the past two years, with more than 4,600 households now being housed in temporary accommodation each night."

Families living in temporary accommodation in Lambeth reported unannounced housing-officer visits that left them fearing eviction. Some families also received unexpected emails informing them they could be moved far outside London. Housing Action Southwark and Lambeth said council efforts to cut temporary-accommodation costs have created a confusing and stressful environment. Lambeth Council said it must visit to inspect conditions and to help secure long-term homes. The council announced in November that most homeless households may be placed outside the borough due to a lack of local accommodation. Temporary-accommodation costs have risen above 100m a year while demand and required savings have sharply increased.

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