Homelessness GLA

1,000% rise in homeless families being moved out of London

Figures obtained by Darren Johnson AM show that the number of families with school age children being housed by boroughs outside of London has risen from 21 in 2010/11 to 222 in the first three quarters of 2013/14. The Mayor of London pledged to protect families with children from benefit changes, but the figures show rising numbers being forced to leave London, and 2,687 other families with children moving to another London borough in the same period, compared to 1,428 in 2010/11.

Darren commented,

“These figures show that the Mayor isn’t keeping his promise to families with children. He is looking the other way while hundreds of children are moved away from their local schools, their parents separated from local support networks and possibly made to lose their job. It shouldn’t take freedom of information requests to put the spotlight on the suffering that is happening under his nose.

“Instead of supporting cuts to benefits for the low paid, disabled and jobseekers, the Mayor should be driving down rents by regulating the private rented sector and building more social housing. That would reduce the benefit bill and make London more affordable for everyone.”

Notes to editors

Using freedom of information requests, Darren Johnson’s office obtained responses from 23 boroughs. Others failed to respond within the statutory deadline, or were unable to compile the figures.

Boroughs were asked how many households with school-age children, towards which they accepted a homelessness duty, were housing outside of the borough but within London, and how many were housed outside of London.

Full figures for individual boroughs are available on request.

In November 2010, the Mayor told the London Assembly:

“Where people have put down roots and where they have family obligations such as sending their kids to school I think you have got to be very, very careful… I do not think… it is conservatism to say to people, ‘We are going to have a policy of uprooting you from your home in short order’”

In June 2011 he told the Assembly:

“What we have done is successfully lobby… to allow those families who are in particular need, who needed to live near their place of work, or keep kids in school, to have special circumstances”