HL Deb 04 May 2004 vol 660 cc48-9WS
Lord Rooker

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

I am pleased to announce today the significant achievement against the Government's bed and breakfast reduction target that, by March 2004, local authorities should ensure that no homeless family with children should have to live in a bed and breakfast hotel except in an emergency, and even then for no longer than six weeks.

Figures collected by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister show a 99.3 per cent reduction in the number of homeless families with children living in bed and breakfast hotels for longer than six weeks, and who were placed there by a local housing authority as a discharge of a homelessness duty, over the two years since March 2002 when the target was set. Local authorities reported a total of only 26 families with children in B&B in excess of six weeks as of 31 March compared to an estimated 3,500 to 4,000 homeless families with children placed long-term in bed and breakfast hotels in March 2002. This reduction reflects the excellent achievement of local authorities working with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. A total of 328, or 95 per cent, of local authorities met the bed and breakfast target.

In London, where the highest concentrations of homelessness exist and where the highest number of families had been accommodated in bed and breakfast hotels, there were no homeless families who had been in B&B for longer than six weeks on 31 March.

Figures collected also show that the total number of homeless families with children in B&B was reduced by 88 per cent from an estimated 6,730 in March 2002 to 780 in March 2004. This is the first sustained reduction in total use of bed and breakfast to house homeless families for over a decade.

The table below shows the breakdown of bed and breakfast figures for March 2004 for the sixteen local authorities that failed to meet the target. A table showing the breakdown for all local authorities is available in the Libraries of the House. Further information is also

Local Authority Region No. of FWC in B&B No. in B&B 6 weeks Comments
1. Waveney Eastern 17 7 It is disappointing that Waveney predicted a lower number of FWC in B&B for longer than six weeks but was then unable to match the success of other authorities facing similar conditions.
5 FWC moved out of B&B by 19 April
1 FWC moved out of B&B on 29 April
1 FWC due to move out of B&B on 5 May
2. Gloucester South West 10 2 1 FWC moved out of B&B on 5 April
1 FWC housed pending review outcome then moved out of B&B on 26 April
3. Arun South East 5 2 1 FWC moved out of B&B on 7 April
1 FWC housed pending review outcome then moved out of B&B on 28 April
4. Sleuth Somerset South West 6 2 Both FWC moved out of B&B on 1 April
5. Erewash East Midlands 10 2 1 FWC moved out of B&B on 1 April
1 FWC moved out of B&B on 2 April
6. Crawley South East 11 1 FWC moved out of B&B on 1 April
7. Swale South East 7 1 FWC moved out of B&B on 22 April
8. North Dorset South West 1 1 FWC moved out of B&B on 16 April
9. North Wiltshire South West 3 1 FWC housed pending review outcome then moved out of B&B on 22 April
10. Purbeck South West 1 1 Large FWC, identifying suitable large property has delayed rehousing. Provisional date of 7 May for move out of B&B
11. Rushcliffe East Midlands 2 1 FWC moved out of B&B on 8 April
12. Harrogate Yorkshire & Humber 1 1 FWC moved out of B&B on 2 April
13. North Shropshire West Midlands 3 1 FWC housed pending review outcome then moved out of B&B on 5 April
14. Surrey Heath South East 2 1 FWC moved out of B&B on 8 April
15. Torridge South West 1 1 FWC housed pending review outcome, re housing plan depends on review decision.
FWC still in B&B
16. Vale Royal North West 3 1 FWC moved out of B&B on 12 April

The table shows the 31 March 2004 monthly monitoring figures for homeless families with children (FWC) in B&B accommodation for the 16 authorities that failed to meet the target.

All local authorities that failed to meet the target provided details of the families concerned. A number of families are described as "housed pending review outcome". In these cases the families have submitted an appeal against the authority's decision on their homelessness application. In such instances the local authority can choose to continue to house the family under discretionary powers.