The Local Government Association has calculated that during the period to 31st March 2022 there were 119,840 dependent children - equivalent to 4,500 primary school classes (based on an average class size of 26.6 pupils) living in temporary housing in England. This included children in 1,700 households "living" in B&Bs.

Warning of the concerns around current cost of living issues and the likelihood that this will cause an increase in homelessness presentations (including families with children) to local authorities, the organisation has set out a plan for action it says the Govt must take to prevent further homelessness. The LGA also noted that children had already been significantly impacted due to Covid pandemic lockdowns and that preventing further homelessness was crucial to stopping more disruption to children's schooling, home lives and social lives.

To that end the LGA has set out 8 proposals it says would " give local authorities a better chance of being able to help homeless children to find permanent accommodation and minimise the risk of other households becoming homeless as a result of the rising cost of living".

Amongst others these proposals include:

• Making it easier to use compulsory purchase powers to acquire empty homes;
• Ensuring that Universal Credit and other key benefits are uprated in line with rising inflation;
• A review of the household benefit cap;
• Ensure that local authorities have the resource to help households given the short term and "prescriptive" nature of the Household Support Fund;
• Bringing forward an end to "no fault" section 21 evictions.

Currently, local authorities in England are said to spend £1.5 billion per year on temporary accommodation of which 80% is in the private rented sector.