Inside Housing journalist shortlisted for Orwell Prize

The government does not publish data on the numbers of young children in temporary accommodation, despite evidence that it has highly damaging impacts on child development and well-being. 

Her live data dashboard uses Freedom of Information requests to track the numbers of under-fives living in temporary accommodation and B&Bs.

In response to Ms Swindells’ ongoing investigation, the government said it intends to include details of the ages of children in temporary accommodation.

Martin Hilditch, editor of Inside Housing, said: “Katharine’s brilliant investigation into children living in temporary accommodation has not just helped to expose a scandal, it has also led to real change.

“As a result of her work, the government has moved to require local authorities to provide age breakdowns of its temporary accommodation data on a regular basis. 

“Her research, using Freedom of Information requests, exposed the scandalous number of children aged under five living in temporary accommodation. 

“Her determination and tenacity meant not only was this data published for the first time, she continued to track it, and push government for real change.

“As Katharine put it herself in an article for The Guardian about her research, ‘We need detailed data on the numbers of families in these living conditions so we can truly understand the extent of the damage this may have done to hundreds of thousands of children across a generation’.

“As a result of her work, the children’s story is much clearer – and her work also helps add to the pressure to build more permanent, affordable homes to house them.

“I’m so proud to see her work and talent recognised by the Orwell Prize in making such a prestigious shortlist for the 2025 ‘reporting homelessness’ prize.”

The Orwell Prize is one of the UK’s most important awards for writing. Named after author George Orwell, and run by The Orwell Foundation, it seeks to honour works which meet his ambition “to make political writing into an art”.