Spurgeons assists families struggling in the temporary housing system
Temporary accommodation- including placing families in hotels- is a widely used solution across the UK. While these accommodations offer shelter and warmth, they cause a number of major difficulties for the families moved into them.
Families can need accommodation for a variety of reasons, including fleeing domestic abuse, being under threat or in danger, or becoming homeless.
'The families in hotels often have no cooking facilities at all and no fridges. They have to rely on takeaway or processed foods,' explains Sally Ruby, District Manager at Elmbridge Family Centres.
The families have no room for their possessions and there is no options for the disposal of nappies. 'There are also no clothes washing facilities,' explains Sally. 'If you're washing in the bath, where are you drying everything?'
Families are using their money to visit launderettes and have to use their income to travel back their normal area to get the kids to school. 'Families also have no space from each other and the breakdown of families in hotel accommodation is huge,' says Sally.
Temporary solutions to long-term problems
Families can become stuck in hotel accommodation for up to 6 months. When premises outside of hotels are found for a family they usually have no choice in the matter and may only have around 45 minutes to pack their things and move.
'One mother had to do six return trips in her car to move her possessions into the new home with her two young children in the back,' says Sally. 'One of the children had an accident and while cleaning him up she forgot about the frozen food in the back of her car, which was ruined. The cost of the six return trips was a lot of money for her. She also found that the new property was unfurnished and had no beds.'
Sally's team bought blow-up beds and bedding for the family, as well as providing the mother with a voucher for food and mats for her children to sit on and play. Other families have also been provided all the essentials they need, gathered by the team.
Living in limbo
'The accommodation can be nice, however it can sometimes be in concerning areas,' explains Sally. 'Neighbours are also so used to seeing constantly changing families coming and going and it can be hard for families to settle in.'
Families may find themselves in their temporary housing for up to two years, while they await a housing association home to be available.
'Some people live out of boxes for the entire time because they never know how long they'll be there,' adds Sally. 'Families can only settle for a certain time because they know they're going to move again. They can't put down roots, they can't join the community, and some families are reluctant to change their child's school.'
Debt is also a major problem for families in temporary accommodation currently, an issue worsened by the cost of living crisis. The job market in Elmbridge has also struggled to recover since Covid, leaving many jobless.
Sally is involved in a steering group which is enabling a better information flow between agencies, and her team continue to support those in temporary accommodation as much as possible. Families are provided with a voucher to get clothes and food, and the team at Elmbridge endeavour to assist those struggling however they can.
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