Read the text of this document (25 pages)
Hillingdon Council
Temporary
Accommodation
Strategy and
Action Plan 2024/25
to 2027/28
February 2025
Appendix
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
1
Contents
Page
Introduction
- Purpose
- Homelessness legislation
- Challenges
- Strategic objectives
2
Temporary Accommodation Review
- Demand for temporary accommodation
- Projections
- Current temporary accommodation
- Risks with current provision
7
Strategic Plan
Objective 1: Reduce homelessness demand and increase rates of
successful preventions
Objective 2: Increase rates of move-on from temporary to settled
accommodation
Objective 3: Reduce total expenditure on temporary accommodation
Objective 4: Increase the supply of additional social rented housing
and new council owned temporary accommodation through acquisition
and new build programmes
11
Impact and Success Measures
18
Monitoring and Review
19
Appendix 1: Temporary Accommodation Action Plan
i-v
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
2
Introduction
Purpose
1. As is the case for many London Boroughs, the number of homeless households
in temporary accommodation (TA) in Hillingdon and the cost of that
accommodation to the council have reached unprecedented levels. It is
imperative that a reduction in costs is achieved and that further reductions are
made in future years to bring TA costs in line with the council’s Medium Term
Financial Strategy.
2. It is equally important to achieve a reduction in the use of TA so that potential
negative impacts on those experiencing or threatened with homelessness are
minimised. Homelessness can have a devasting effect on those that experience
it. There is stark evidence of dramatically worse outcomes for individuals in terms
of health, education and employment.
3. This document sets out our plans to reduce the cost and use of TA during the
remainder of 2024/25 and for the period 2025/26 through to 2027/28.
Homelessness Legislation
4. Under the terms of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and the Housing Act
1996, local authorities have a statutory duty to take steps to prevent
homelessness if there is a risk of an eligible person or household facing
homelessness within 56 days. Local authorities also have a statutory duty to take
steps to relieve homelessness if a household is already homeless when they
approach them for assistance.
5. If a household is eligible, unintentionally homeless and in priority need of
assistance then local authorities have a legal duty to provide suitable TA until
settled accommodation can be secured. Households may be in priority need in
circumstances defined by law. This can include: when the household includes
children, when a person is homeless as a result of domestic abuse, when a
person is vulnerable as a result of old age, illness or disability, and in a number of
other situations set out in legislation and the homelessness code of guidance.
6. It is unlawful to place families with children in Bed and Breakfast accommodation
(i.e. with shared facilities) except in an emergency. Even in emergency
circumstances, the maximum length of time that families are legally permitted to
stay in such TA is six weeks. Local authorities are also obliged to make TA
placements in their own authority area, where this is reasonably practical, and if
not, then as close to their local authority as they can.
7. Generally the suitability of accommodation rules are different for eligible
applicants who have been resident in the country for not more than two years but
there are exceptions, for example, some applying under the Afghan citizens
resettlement scheme. In general, for those making a homelessness application
within two years of their arrival in the UK, Local authorities do not need to
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
3
consider most of the factors to assess suitability which apply to other applicants,
including the distance from their area, disruption to employment and education,
or the proximity of medical facilities, support or local services. The impact of any
disruption caused to the caring responsibilities of the applicant or their
households must still be considered. There is an exception for a person who had
a right to occupy accommodation in the UK for an uninterrupted period of six
months or more in the three years before they most recently arrived in the UK.
8. Local authorities have a legal duty to provide suitable TA until settled
accommodation can be secured, for those that are eligible.
Challenges
9. Hillingdon, along with many other councils across the country and in London in
particular is seeing a significant increase in pressures related to homelessness.
These pressures include both high demand from the number of homelessness
presentations, and considerable supply pressures driven largely by increased
difficulty in accessing private rented sector housing for homeless households. A
shift in the supply/demand balance, alongside some additional cost pressures for
landlords, has also helped to fuel increased costs of private rented sector
placements.
10. To put these pressures in some context, over 40% of councils now view
escalating costs for TA as a critical financial challenge. For London Borough’s TA
is the largest financial pressure, exceeding adult and children’s social care for the
first time. An increasing number of councils are concerned about the danger of
having to issue a section 114 notice (a financial notice) due to being heavily
impacted by spiralling TA costs. Following a section 114 notice a council cannot
commit to any new spending, with the exception of that funding statutory services
and must set a new budget within 21 days that falls within their spending
envelope.
11. The high levels of households in TA are an issue across the country, but
especially so in London where homelessness and housing market pressures are
most acute. More than £1.6bn was spent on TA in England in 2022/23 with over
£1bn of this accounted for by London Local authorities. A significant proportion of
expenditure is on short-term emergency provision and there has been a steady
rise in use of and expenditure on high-cost B&B temporary accommodation.
12. The most recently published government statistics on homelessness were for the
year April 2023 to March 2024. These show 358,370 initial assessments, 10.4%
more than in 2022/23. 146,430 households in England were assessed as being
threatened with homelessness and therefore owed a prevention duty, a 3.1%
increase from 2023/24. 178,560 were assessed as homeless and therefore owed
a relief duty, up 12.3% from 2022/23. Both the prevention and relief duty numbers
were influenced by those threatened with homelessness due to the end of an
assured shorthold tenancy. There was also an increase in the households owed
a relief duty due to family or friends no longer being willing or able to
accommodate them.
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
4
13. The number of households in TA in England has been increasing since 2011/12
and reached 117,450 on 31 March 2024, higher than at any other point since the
data series began in in 1998 and an increase of 12.3% from the same date in the
previous year. Households with children in TA increased by 14.7% to 74,530.
Single households increased by 8.5% to 42,920.
14. In London, households with children in TA are most likely to be in nightly paid
self-contained accommodation or private rented sector accommodation. In the
rest of England they are more likely to be in local authority or housing association
accommodation.
15. London Councils have been collating data across London in order to make the
case for additional government support and interventions. The data for July 2024
shows homelessness presentations up 9.1% compared to the same period last
year and households owed a prevention or relief duty +2.0%. The number of
households in TA in London was 61,423 at the end July, 10.2% higher than the
previous year.
16. The data collated by London Councils also shows an increase in the median
weekly rate paid across TA types of 32.2% in July 2024 compared to July 2023
and an increase of 35.4% in the gross total monthly spend on TA.
17. A recent report by London Councils1 shows boroughs collectively spending £114
million a month or £4m every day on TA. The figure jumped 68% in one year from
2022/23 to 2023/24. The report notes that one in every 21 children in London
lives in TA; that rough sleeping in London has also grown significantly; and that
homelessness represents a critical risk to the financial stability of town halls
across the capital.
18. There are several factors contributing to the stark increase in TA costs and use in
London reflecting broader issues within the housing market, socio-economic
challenges and policy choices.
House prices have continued to grow making it extremely difficult for low- and
middle-income households to afford housing and at the same time private
rental costs have also increased.
Social housing stocks have reduced in many areas through Right to Buy sales
and a lack of new social housing construction. There has also recently been a
rush of Right to Buy (RTB) applications submitted following announcements of
significant change to come in relation to RTB discounts. It remains to be seen
how many will ultimately be sold before the changes take effect.
Landlords are understood to be leaving the sector in response to concerns
about increasing tax and regulatory issues. Recent research by Rightmove
found that 29% of properties listed on its website for sale in London were
previously offered for rent.
Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates are insufficient to cover rental costs and
for those out of work access to rented property is further restricted by the
benefit cap.
1 londons_homelessness_emergency_october_2024.pdf
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
5
Those aged under 35 are particularly hard hit as they are only able to access
LHA support at the ‘shared accommodation rate’ meaning that the amount of
benefit they can claim is much less.
Increasing difficulties in accessing private rented sector accommodation has
brought further challenges. Many landlords are electing to offer properties on
a nightly rate rather than on a longer-term basis; the imbalance can impact
negatively on the quality of accommodation offered; and the council
sometimes needs to look outside of the borough in order to find suitable
accommodation.
There are also recruitment and retention issues across the sector as the
increase in homelessness creates a staffing demand in excess of available
supply.
As with many other councils' homelessness and particularly the impact on TA
numbers is a serious budget pressure with costs well in excess of those
previously experienced. This is now a significant risk for the Council.
19. London Councils recently commissioned research2 by Savill’s to assess whether
there has been a sustained reduction in the size of the Private Rented Sector
(PRS) in London and track the changes in affordability of PRS properties for low-
income households. The research found:
A sustained reduction in London’s PRS. Between April 2021 and December
2023 45,000 rental properties were sold without replacement equating to a
4.3% reduction in London’s private rented sector.
An estimated 13,500 properties sold in this period had average rental values
in the lowest 30% of the market.
The greatest reduction in properties available to rent is in Outer London. A
comparison of 12 months listings to July 2024 compared to the average in
2018/19 shows that Hillingdon, with a reduction of 41%, is the second worst
affected borough after Redbridge.
There are fewer properties to rent across all bed types.
Only 5% of rental listings were below Local Housing Allowance in Q2 2024.
20. Landlords selling stock to owner occupiers has increased sharply. Properties are
leaving the market at a much faster rate in the most affordable locations in
London. During 2023, PRS stock across the lower end reduced by 3.3% per
month as a proportion of available listings compared to 2.6% per month across
the rest of London. The loss of properties at the lower end of the market has a
particular impact on the ability of low-income households to access the PRS and
makes it harder for local authorities to prevent and relieve homelessness. The
analysis is based on a sample of listings and does not represent the whole
market but does provide clear evidence of a reduction in the size of the PRS in
London.
Strategic objectives
21. The Temporary Accommodation Strategy is focussed on four key objectives:
2 Private Rented Housing Supply in London
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
6
1) Reduce homelessness demand and increase rates of successful
homeless preventions;
2) Increase rates of move-on from temporary to settled accommodation;
3) Reduce total expenditure on temporary accommodation;
4) Increase the supply of additional social rented housing and new temporary
accommodation through acquisitions and new build programmes.
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
7
Temporary Accommodation Review
Demand for temporary accommodation
22. There has been a very significant increase in the number of homelessness
approaches in recent years in Hillingdon. In 2021/22 there were 3,198
households approaching which was 22% more than the year before. There was a
further 22% increase in 2022/23 to 3,886, and a 27% rise in 2023/24 to 4,968. In
the first half of 2024/25 the rise has been markedly steeper. In the first seven
months, April to October 2024 there were 4,267 approaches. This is a 53%
increase over the same period in 2023.
Throughout the 2023/24 year, there were 700 new reservations made for B&B stays
and there were 441 in the first 7 months of 2024/25.
Bedsize need 2023/24 April 2024 to Oct 2025
Number % Number %
1 bedroom 215 31% 120 27%
2 bedroom 249 36% 141 32%
3 bedroom 158 23% 136 31%
4 bedroom 72 10% 43 10%
5+ bedroom 6 1% 1 >1%
Total 700 100% 441 100%
23. There were 214 bookings for Section 21 (private rented sector) eviction notices
during 2023/24, which is 31% of all bookings and more twice as many as for any
other reason.
24. Families in need of four or more bedrooms for TA predominantly consisted of
households at risk of homelessness under section 21 (42), those fleeing domestic
violence (11), and those whose government arranged accommodation had
ceased (10), representing the three primary categories.
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Homeless Approaches
21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
8
25. In contrast, families in need of three bedrooms for TA largely consisted of
households at risk of homelessness under section 21(83), those whose
government arranged accommodation had ceased (23) and family evictions (11)
making up the three primary categories.
26. Section 21 eviction notices continue to be by far the most common reason for TA
B&B bookings accounting for 179 or 41% of all bookings in the first 7 months of
2024/25, now more than three times as many as any other reason. Other notable
reasons include family evictions, ending of government arranged accommodation
placements and domestic abuse.
27. Landlord possession actions have shown a general increase since Q2 2021.
There is a concentration in London with 8,818 landlord claims and 6,674 landlord
orders at London courts in Q3 2024, accounting for 35% of each. In London,
there was an increase of 10% from Q3 2023 for landlord claims and of 20% for
landlord orders. There were 4,545 landlord warrants in London, making up 39%
of all landlord warrants. This is 61% more than London landlord warrants in Q3
2023. Possession action statistics for Hillingdon are shown below:
Claims Possessions
Quarter 3 2023 2024 % + - 2023 2024 % + -
Accelerated
Landlord
117 144 23% 49 74 51%
Social Landlord 50 49 -2% 10 20 50%
Private Landlord 77 79 3% 16 21 31%
28. A detailed dynamic financial and activity-based model to track homelessness
demand for TA and supply to meet that demand has been developed. The model
provides a baseline position based on 2023/24 data and forecasts supply and
demand over the period of this strategy based on a number of assumptions
relating to future costs and demand and to the likely impact of a series of
management actions. An important and defining feature of the model is that it is
linked to detailed financial information allowing for both overall forecasts for each
year covered and month by month forecasts for the forthcoming year to 18
months ahead; and to assign costs/savings to individual elements of the strategy
including identified management actions.
29. Using the model, progress will be tracked on an ongoing monthly basis and be
substantially reviewed on an annual basis at a minimum. This will include a
monthly update on progress to the lead Cabinet Member.
Current temporary accommodation
30. The number of households in TA in Hillingdon and the number of which were in
B&B (nightly charged, higher cost temporary accommodation) has been
continually rising over the last four years (see chart below).
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
9
31. At the beginning of December 2024, there were 1,305 homeless families in TA,
97 were funded via specific grant funding and the remainder by the General
Fund. A breakdown of the bedroom need of the families and the type of TA
occupied is shown in table below:
1 bed 2 bed 3 bed 4+ bed Total
B&B 136 264 255 109 764
Leased TA 12 22 11 1 46
Council Hostel and Shortlife 166 184 112 33 495
Total 314 470 378 143 1305
32. Between Q2 of 2019 to Q2 or 2022 there was a steady, stable number of
households in TA but Hillingdon then began to see a steep rise particularly
towards the end of 2023.
33. A direct comparison to the West London region shows Hillingdon is below the
London average per 1,000 households in the borough (see table below).
Total No. in TA
No. of H'holds in
LA (000's)
No. in TA per 000
H'holds
Brent … 120
Ealing 3,205 124 25.85
Hammersmith &
Fulham 1,382 84 16.52
Harrow 1,087* 88 12.4
Hillingdon 1,476 113 13.7
Hounslow 725* 103 7.1
Kensington &
Chelsea … 76
LONDON 68,990 3,659 18.85
*Data for previous quarter shown as most up to date available
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
Apr-21 Apr-22 Apr-23 Apr-24 Current
B&B TA
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
10
34. Throughout 2024/25 there has been a focus on bringing forward actions to
reduce TA use. The rise in TA use in Hillingdon, as set out in the graph below, is
less steep than it was at this time last year. B&B use is now (November 2024)
less than it was Spring/Summer 2024.
Risks with current provision
35. Numbers of people and families in TA in London and Hillingdon are continuing to
steadily rise. There are no signs of this stopping and there are pressures which
could exacerbate this further, including forthcoming legislation which will place
extra pressures on private landlords. This may encourage more landlords to
leave the market before the changes take effect.
36. The current high demand for TA has resulted in more TA provision being
marketed on a nightly rate basis and a marked increase in costs, estimated at
around 30% per annum.
37. It is not sustainable for the council to continue to fund TA at the current and an
increasing rate.
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
11
Strategic Plan
To reduce cost and reliance on TA we will need to address supply issues in both
social and private sectors; across new and existing homes; consider what more can
be done to keep costs down; prioritise preventing homelessness from occurring in
the first place and when households do become homeless, ensure that they move to
a settled home faster.
Objective 1: Manage homelessness demand and increase rates of
successful preventions
Promote self-service and ‘find-your-own’ housing options to residents
38. Those working in homelessness are well aware of the huge imbalance between
the numbers of people affected by homelessness and the supply of
accommodation available and the enormous pressure on the capacity within
councils to meet presenting demands.
39. To ensure that council services are able to run efficiently, we need to make sure
that there is very effective communication to residents and partner organisations
about what housing options are available. While the council has a duty to provide
advice and information about homelessness to all people in their area, other
homelessness duties are much more limited. A duty to secure accommodation
only applies for certain categories of applicants believed to be homeless, eligible
for assistance and having a priority need.
40. We have completed a review of the information provided on the council’s website
and amended as appropriate. Improvements have been made to make accessing
the information more intuitive. The information aims to help people to take control
of their housing situation and to understand their housing options and what action
they can take themselves. People are encouraged to act early to have a better
chance of finding a solution before they become homeless.
41. The second stage of changes being made involves introducing an initial inquiry
form which will trigger a contact by a homelessness officer, prior to completion of
a full application. A wider communications campaign has been launched
including social media posts and a video recorded with Councillor Tuckwell,
Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing and Growth. The campaign will continue
throughout 2024/25 and into 2025/26 and will particularly target those residents
that are most likely to present for housing advice and will include piloting face to
face advice surgeries in community locations.
Deliver proactive and quality case work to increase ‘no and / or low-cost’
homeless preventions
42. Good case work management is essential in ensuring that appropriate
interventions are made and that cases move efficiently through the system
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
12
providing a good experience for customers and reducing the creation of
unnecessary work through complaints or protracted casework.
43. Case work reviews are being embedded across the Homelessness Prevention
service with a focus on resolution and a practice learning model to provide peer
support is being embedded to ensure consistently good practice. Reviews will
focus on staff engagement with residents as well as technical application of
homelessness legislation and council policy.
Develop our prevention ‘tool kit’ focusing particularly on the most frequent
reasons for loss of accommodation
44. The prevention of evictions from the family home or from living with friends will
include enhanced case worker mediation and negotiation. Options to commission
a specialist provider of mediation services are being consider for a pilot exercise
which will subsequently be evaluated. Routine visits to those evicting to negotiate
to prevent eviction will be embedded in processes.
45. Analysis of all evictions to date during 2024/25 is being undertaken to help inform
future activity, identify cases that need to be dealt with most urgently, and target
actions for specific groups. Homelessness presentations and TA where the
reason is domestic abuse will also be analysed to identify opportunities to avoid
homelessness.
46. We will seek to reach solutions at scale with landlords who have multiple council
customers as their tenants. Meetings will be arranged to agree workable
preventative resolutions. We will also proactively engage with relevant
government departments to assist in ensuring levels of homelessness are
reduced.
47. A revised joint housing / social care / hospital discharge protocol has been
agreed to find accommodation solutions for those who cannot return to their
former accommodation, when leaving hospital.
Develop and deliver the action plan to commission additional supply to
support prevention of homelessness
48. We will meet with all third sector housing and support providers to discuss
barriers and solutions to increasing referral rates to accommodation/support
pathways. This will include all housing associations that have significant levels of
housing stock in Hillingdon and supported housing providers that operate in the
borough.
49. Discussions with providers will seek to understand and resolve issues, such as
blockages to move on along the housing pathway. Single homeless and rough
sleepers often face higher risks of mental health issues, substance abuse or
trauma. Housing pathways for single adults can better address these issues
through supported accommodation.
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
13
50. We will explore with providers what support might be necessary and look to
review and re-set the offer to landlords, including a tenancy sustainment / after
care model for tenants referred to private sector landlords and the re-introduction
of a rent guarantee scheme. Once complete the new offer will be actively
promoted to all landlords. The private sector housing landlord / agents Forum will
be relaunched, and an active communication and engagement programme will be
rolled out.
51. New options and proposals relating to models for the procurement of private
rented sector properties at a more significant scale to prevent homelessness and
move-on from TA will be presented to Cabinet as and when required.
52. The council aims to consider options for leasing properties from private sector
landlords. The preference is for settled accommodation, but temporary options
will also be considered, if it results in lower costs than currently paid and
especially if the agreement includes conversion of the properties at a later date to
settled housing.
53. To evaluate options a complete market analysis is being undertaken. This
includes affordability analysis by comparing Local Housing Allowance rates, local
income levels, and the distribution of affordable properties. Assessments are also
being made of household types based on bed-size, income, and suitability,
considering time spent in TA. We aim to identify high-demand, low-supply areas
to avoid competition zones among local authorities.
54. We will evaluate different leasing models and assess their viability. Different
leasing options, include: Long-Term Leases; Assured Shorthold Tenancies
(ASTs); Hybrid models: (leasing and ASTs). Financial and market assessments
will be conducted.
Objective 2: Increase rates of move-on from temporary to settled
accommodation
Implement policy and processes to maximise the number of lettings to priority
homeless households in social rented housing across all registered social
housing providers
55. A review of the Social Housing Allocation Policy has been completed and a
revised policy approved by Cabinet. This will be implemented from 1st March
2025.
56. The changes provide a clearer framework for prioritising applications and
continuing priority for residents with 10 or more years continuous residency. In
addition to changes to the banding structure and the circumstances in which
additional priority is awarded, the revised policy will assist with homelessness
and meeting housing needs through ensuring movement through housing
pathways.
57. There is an increased priority for care leavers and to assist with move on from
social care supported housing and from single homeless supported housing for
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
14
vulnerable people considered by specialist panels as appropriate for a social
housing letting. This will ensure effective use of specialist housing provision and
maintain movement through housing pathways to continue access to the
available supported accommodation. The high cost of housing means that a
single person’s needs is often met via shared housing in the private rented
sector.
58. A wider range of options are being made available to those living in overcrowded
accommodation. The policy already allowed those with a need for a 4-bedroom
home to bid for a 3-bedroom property to partially meet their needs which may
allow more rapid rehousing. This is being extended to other bedsizes.
59. The Social Housing Allocation Policy includes provision for a Lettings Plan to be
developed in order to strike the right balance of allocations to different groups
and manage the cost of homelessness. Lettings will be monitored against the
plan and if an allocation target is not being achieved, the council reserves the
right to enhance access by advertising and/or directly allocating some properties
to specific groups. The Plan will be designed to set allocation percentage targets,
to determine the proportion of social housing offered to different lists within the
Council’s Housing Register to best balance their competing demands and needs.
The Housing Register consists of three separate housing lists:
Homeless Households; for applicants to whom the Council has accepted a
statutory homeless duty and who are awaiting an offer of longer-term
accommodation.
The Transfer List; for Council tenants and eligible Registered Housing Provider
tenants applying for a move to alternative accommodation.
The General Housing Register List; for all other households applying for social
housing in Hillingdon.
60. It is intended that a Lettings Plan is usually produced annually but it may be more
or less frequent as circumstances require. Given the current pressures related to
TA, a Lettings Plan is currently being developed and will include proposals for the
proportion of lettings to be made to homeless households for the remainder of
2024/45 and through 2025/26 to assist in the urgent need to reduce TA numbers
and expenditure, and to best meet needs.
61. At 1st April 2024, registered providers (RP) of social housing owned 6,864 social
housing dwellings for general needs renting in Hillingdon along with 497
supported housing homes and 615 sheltered housing homes for older people.
They also owned 1,434 Low-Cost Home Ownership Homes.
A2 Dominion and Peabody Trust own more than 1,000 homes for general
needs lettings in Hillingdon.
Guinness Partnership, Metropolitan Housing Trust and Notting Hill Genisis
have between 500 and 1000 each, Guiness just a little less than 1,000.
Home Group, Karibu Community Homes, London & Quadrant and Paradigm
all have between 200 and 500
Places for People and Shepherds Bush Housing Association have between
100 and 200; and
the remainder all have less than 100 properties for general needs rent.
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
15
62. We are completing regular reviews of nomination arrangements with all
registered housing providers to ensure best use is being made of RP owned
social housing to meet needs. A programme of quarterly reviews is being
implemented with all providers that have substantial housing stock for rent in
Hillingdon.
Expand the supply of private rented sector accommodation to accelerate
move-on from temporary accommodation into long-term sustainable solutions
63. As described under Objective 1, a number of measures are in train aimed at
increasing the supply of private rented housing for both temporary and settled
homes.
Embed a ‘one-reasonable-offer’ approach to prevent or relieve homelessness
64. To increase rates of move on, it is important that slick and streamlined processes
are in place to make suitable offers for homeless applicants in as short a time as
possible. This will include a case management approach that aims to complete
the vast majority of suitability and affordability assessments within 5 working
days, following which a single suitable offer will be made and the implications of
any refusal made clear.
Increase recovery of properties through tackling fraud
65. Considerable savings in TA costs can be made by cracking down on fraud. Our
counter fraud team work with housing staff to prevent and detect fraud. A
programme of unannounced visits to TA take place at least six times a year to
identify when accommodation let to homeless families remains unoccupied. A
key amnesty campaign will also be run every 6 months for TA tenants to
voluntarily end their tenancy if it is not needed.
66. The counter fraud team also work hard to identify social tenancies fraudulently
occupied. With every home that is sublet illegally, and every tenancy obtained
dishonestly, a person or family in need is deprived of a home and unnecessary
costs are added to the TA bill.
Develop and deliver up to date comprehensive and bespoke Personal Housing
plans identifying pathways for all customers currently in temporary
accommodation.
67. A comprehensive updated profile analysis of those households living in TA is
being completed to enable identification of all appropriate housing options to
provide a housing pathway with potential solutions for each household. Distinct
housing pathways for individuals and families facing homelessness shape more
appropriate housing placements and sustainable solutions to their specific
challenges.
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
16
68. A specific move-on project aims to deliver rapid actions to support move-on from
TA, informed by the profile of need, including targeting the 100 priority
households to move to settled accommodation. This includes further
development of the single housing pathway through shared and supported
accommodation.
Objective 3: Reduce total expenditure on temporary accommodation
Negotiate reduced nightly rates with all temporary accommodation providers
69. The nightly rates charged by providers have been increasing at a significant rate.
We are taking a more proactive and focused approach to working with landlords
with the aim of stemming this increase. A complete analysis of providers charges
has been completed to enable efforts to be directed where they can have the
most impact and to an enable an understanding of which landlords are increasing
costs the most and which have remained more stable. As part of a review, the
current contractual terms will be considered. Negotiations will be ongoing with all
providers of nightly charged TA.
Develop and deliver the action plan to commission additional supply to
support prevention of homelessness including use of leased accommodation
and lower cost council owned options.
70. To exercise greater control over cost and quality of TA, the council has used
some of its own stock for this purpose. There are currently 495 council owned
‘short life’ or ‘hostel’ units used for TA. It is intended that in the short-term further
council owned homes will be transferred to ‘short life’ for use as TA.
71. We aim to reduce the volume of spot commissioned nightly charged temporary
accommodation by moving to a sustainable model including leased
accommodation. The council has been actively contacting landlords and agents
to secure short-term leases for use as TA. This includes both existing landlords
that we currently work with and providers that are new to Hillingdon and outside
the Borough. A number of potential options are currently being considered.
Objective 4: Increase the supply of additional social rented housing and
new temporary accommodation through acquisition and new build
programmes
72. A Housing Delivery Programme is underway which includes a forward
programme of acquisitions, new build and regeneration sites to assist in
addressing the need for homes for both temporary and settled housing.
73. There are a range of delivery routes by which affordable homes may be delivered
to meet the housing priorities both for overall housing requirements over the
medium term and immediate requirements posed by the current high level of TA.
The potential delivery routes are being considered in formulating our wider
strategy for development.
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
17
74. Acquisitions and new build for settled homes in the social sector add to the stock
of available housing to assist in moving people on from TA. As new builds or
block acquisitions include numerous properties available for letting at the same
time, they provide a bigger boost to lettings than relets of existing homes which
only turnover a small percentage each year.
Evaluate and adopt options to increase the volume of council owned
properties for use as temporary accommodation
75. By securing a larger proportion of TA within council ownership, greater control
can be exercised over cost, quality and management services.
76. Options appraisal exercises will be completed for sites that offer a reasonable
prospect for use in providing accommodation. This includes considering options
for use of a sites on a short-term basis where a different final use is expected but
the site is available in the short term. A consideration of modular build will form
part of appraisals where appropriate.
Deliver an acquisitions programme to increase the supply of social rented
properties
77. The council is investing in increasing the supply of social rented properties to
meet housing need and impact on the number of people and families currently
housed in TA. Over the short term the purchase of existing homes will be
significantly increased. Buying existing homes will allow for a more rapid impact
than can be achieved by developing new housing.
78. During 2024/25 a significant purchase has been made of Cavenham Court at
Millington Road in Hayes which provides 113 homes. Smaller purchases have
been made of 2 homes (Bartram Close) and 6 homes (at Elmgrove).
79. A pilot contract is underway with a partner to purchase 20 homes and complete
any necessary works to them on behalf of the council. Subject to a successful
evaluation of the pilot, the model to work with a partner may be implemented for a
fixed period of time, to continue to boost supply via acquisitions in future years.
Deliver a 5-year programme of new build social and affordable rented housing
80. Over the latter years of this strategy the aim is for a greater number of new build
homes to be delivered and a corresponding reduced need for acquisitions.
81. Affordable housing continues to be delivered by Registered Providers (primarily
Housing Associations) however activity has slowed. Housing Associations are
focusing to a greater extent on improvements to their existing homes, conscious
of increased regulatory requirements, the forthcoming introduction of Awaab’s
Law and an expected revised Decent Homes Standard. Other issues impacting
include second staircase requirements, as well as rising costs and competition for
land. We will continue to work with Registered Providers to encourage
development in Hillingdon. The current delivery pipeline for Registered Providers
in Hillingdon include 87 properties for low-cost rent during 2024/25, and 141
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
18
properties in 2025/26 subject to works progressing in line with current
expectations.
82. The delivery by registered providers is limited in future years. This places an
emphasis on the role that the Council can play in supporting the supply of new
homes within the borough.
83. There is a healthy and growing council new build and housing regeneration
programme underway. Current projections for council rented homes are 180
homes in 2024/25, 91 homes in 2025/26 and 515 homes in 2026/27. The further
ahead the projections, the more likely some of the development projects may be
subject to some change. Schemes forecast for delivery in 2024/25 and 2025/26
form part of existing HRA budgets.
84. The initial phases of the Hayes Town Centre (Phase 1) and 30 at Avondale
(Phase 1a) project are targeting the creation of 110 new homes. The site
construction has been progressing well and is on track to complete in the
summer of 2025. The topping-out of the site occurred in November 2024 and will
release key developer resources for the next phases of the project. Overall, the
initial plan for the regeneration was for 396 new homes to be developed. The
build plans for the remaining phases of the project will need to be reconfigured to
take account of regulatory requirements post-Grenfell, in particular new
requirements to include second stair cores, as well as project delays and higher
than expected inflation. The council has been exploring an opportunity to
accelerate the remaining build programme by reconfiguring how the phases could
be better aligned.
Impact and Success Measures
85. The strategic objectives of this TA strategy are focussed on increasing
prevention, move on and new supply and on reducing the cost of TA.
86. The outcomes we want to achieve are:
A higher proportion of households whose homelessness is prevented.
No families with children/pregnant women in non-self-contained B&B for more
than 6 weeks.
Fewer households becoming homeless and needing temporary
accommodation.
Fewer households in nightly charged temporary accommodation.
Lower overall cost of temporary accommodation.
Lower cost per temporary accommodation unit.
Shorter average period housed in temporary accommodation.
Implementation of acquisition and new build development programme.
Annual targets will be set for the strategy, agreed with Cabinet.
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
19
Monitoring and Review
87. The dynamic financial and activity-based model mentioned above will be used to
track progress on an ongoing monthly basis and will be substantially reviewed on
an annual basis at a minimum.
88. Progress on delivering the TA Strategy and Action Plan will be reported regularly
to Cabinet as part of progress reporting on the Homelessness Prevention and
Rough Sleeping Strategy and the Medium-Term Financial Strategy. The lead
Cabinet Member will receive a monthly update on progress.
i
Appendix 1
Temporary Accommodation Action Plan
As highlighted in the main body of the report, the outcomes we want to achieve are:
A higher proportion of households whose homelessness is prevented
No families with children/pregnant women in non-self-contained B&B for more than 6 weeks
Fewer households becoming homeless and needing temporary accommodation
Fewer households in nightly charged temporary accommodation
Lower overall cost of temporary accommodation
Lower cost per temporary accommodation unit
Shorter average period housed in temporary accommodation
Implementation of acquisition and new build development programme
The action plan below summarises the key objectives, actions and measures of success. A more detailed annual plan will be used
for delivery purposes including specific actions, targets, timescales and lead responsibilities. These will be subject to regular review
and reporting through internal governance structures – updates will be provided to Cabinet through the monthly budget report and
through an annual update.
Objective Action Timeframe Measures of Success
1. Manage
homelessness
demand and
increase rates of
successful
homeless
preventions
Deliver a communications campaign to
promote self-service and ‘find your own’
housing options to residents.
Implement changes to the on-line self-
referral portal.
From Q3
2024/25
Increase in proportion of
households whose homelessness
is prevented at advice, triage,
prevention and relief stage
Achieve a minimum homeless
prevention rate of 40%
No families with children/pregnant
women in non self-contained B&B
for more than 6 weeks
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
ii
Objective Action Timeframe Measures of Success
Deliver proactive and quality case work
to increase ‘no’ and ‘low’ cost
preventions – to include;
o the option of a new mediation
and accommodation finding
service, for residents;
o embed new case work practice
and support, to include weekly
reviews of case work
preventions.
Develop our prevention ‘tool kit’,
focusing particularly on the most
frequent reasons for loss of
accommodation, to include;
o proactive engagement with
private sector landlords at scale
and working with the Courts, to
reduce evictions;
o launch a new offer for private
sector landlords to sustain
tenancies to avoid eviction,
including the option of a Rent
Guarantee Scheme, if the right
option for Hillingdon; and
improvement grants;
o a proactive, fast track approach
for evictions by ‘friends and
family members’.
Work with Government departments to
ensure effective planned arrangements
Q4 2024/25
Q3 2024/25
Q3 2024/25
Q4 2024/25
Q4 2024/25
Fewer households being placed
into nightly paid temporary
accommodation than the full year
estimate of 892 for 2024/25
(Based on 778 bookings in nightly
paid accommodation date up to
12th Feb 2025).
Increased accommodation
available and used to prevent
homelessness. Baseline estimates
for 2024/25 are
o 302 Private rented sector
placements
o 192 Lettings to homeless
households
o 57 Single homeless
supported accommodation
o 166 New Build and
Acquisition lettings to
homeless households
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
iii
Objective Action Timeframe Measures of Success
for leaving accommodation to avoid
homelessness.
Deliver additional rented housing supply
to support prevention of homelessness,
to include:
o increasing the supply of private
rented sector accommodation
(see objective 2)
o enabling an increase in the
move-on supply of
accommodation to support the
single homeless pathway,
including the supply accessed by
voluntary sector partners.
From Q3
2024/25
From Q1
2025/26
2. Increase rates of
move-on from
temporary to settled
accommodation
Implement policy and processes to
maximise the number of lettings to
priority homeless households in social
rented housing across all registered
social housing providers to include:
o implement changes to the Social
Housing Allocation Policy;
o apply a local lettings plan;
o review every quarter the supply
of lettings from all Registered
Providers to ensure these are
being maximised, for the benefit
of residents (nominations).
Expand the supply of private rented
sector accommodation to accelerate
move-on from temporary
Q4 2024/25
Q4 2024/25
Q3 2024/25
Increased supply of PRS for
settled accommodation at all duty
stages.
Reduced average period housed
in temporary accommodation.
No families with children/pregnant
women in non self-contained B&B
for more than 6 weeks.
Lower overall cost of temporary
accommodation (after subsidy).
Lower cost per temporary
accommodation unit (after
subsidy) in all bed sizes.
Increase in duties discharged
particularly on one offer only.
Increase in duties discharged as a
result of proactive casework e.g.
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
iv
Objective Action Timeframe Measures of Success
accommodation into long-term
sustainable solutions, to include:
o an updated Private Sector
Rented Policy offer
o a new package of offers for
landlords to sustain tenancies,
grant funding to improve
properties and options to work
with the council on a medium-
term basis.
Embed a ‘one-reasonable-offer’
approach to prevent or relieve
homelessness.
Increase recovery of properties through
tackling fraud, including unannounced
visits and a key amnesty’.
Complete a rapid review and update of
Personal Housing Plans (PHPs) for all
tenants of temporary accommodation,
identifying suitable housing pathways
and options for all residents currently in
temporary accommodation. Complete a
quarterly review and update thereafter.
Q4 2024/25
Q4 2024/25
From Q3
2024/25
From Q1
2024/25
Q4 2024/25 and
ongoing
thereafter
intentionality, fraud, within
timescales).
Increase in PHPs developed and
delivered across all entering and
currently living in Temporary
accommodation
Increase the supply of private
rented sector properties by 50%
Hillingdon Council Temporary Accommodation Strategy and Action Plan
v
Objective Action Timeframe Measures of Success
3. Reduce total
expenditure on
temporary
accommodation
Negotiate reduced nightly rates with all
temporary accommodation providers.
Review and implement a new
procurement approach for the use of
temporary accommodation.
Deliver increased supply of lower cost
temporary accommodation, to support
prevention of homelessness including
use of leased accommodation and lower
cost council owned options.
From Q3
2024/25
From Q4
2024/25
From Q3
2024/25
Fewer households in nightly
charged temporary
accommodation
Lower overall cost of temporary
accommodation (after subsidy)
Lower cost per temporary
accommodation unit (after
subsidy) in all bed sizes
Increase the use of existing
council relets for use as temporary
accommodation
4. Increase the supply
of additional social
rented housing and
new temporary
accommodation
through acquisition
and new build
programmes
Agree and deliver a pipeline supply
programme to increase the volume of
council owned properties for use as
temporary accommodation
Deliver an acquisitions programme to
increase the supply of social rented
properties (minimum 500 homes)
Deliver a 5-year programme of new
build social and affordable rented
housing (minimum 1,000 homes)
Proactively work with private developers
to unlock ‘stalled’ residential sites, for
planning gain
From Q4
2024/25
From Q1
2024/25
From Q1
2024/25
From Q2
2024/25
Implementation of acquisition and
new build development
programme;
o Increased number of
temporary accommodation
homes managed by the
council to control cost and
quality.
o Increased supply of new
acquisitions and new build
supply to March 2028.
Text extracted automatically from the PDF, so layout, tables and images are not shown. Open the original PDF on LB Hillingdon’s website.