Act now on ‘devastating’ temporary accommodation crisis, MPs urge government
The government has been warned by MPs about the “devastating” state of temporary accommodation in the UK.
New figures show a total of 104 children died as a result of temporary accommodation, with data covering data from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2025, indicating their vulnerability, poor health or death was a contributing factor.
The finding was described as “absolutely scandalous” by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Households in Temporary Accommodation, which published the report on Wednesday with data from the National Child Mortality Database (NCMD).
Temporary housing is a form of homelessness that is often described as “hidden” and can include places such as bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) and hostels.
The number of children living in temporary accommodation continues to reach record levels, according to data published by the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government in February.
There were a total of 175,990 children in such accommodation in England at the end of September; this was a 7 percent increase from the same point in 2024.
The APPG also noted the deaths of 140 children whose main residence was listed as temporary accommodation between October 2023 and September 2025.
Assessments are ongoing to determine whether living conditions contributed to these deaths, and the report warns that confirmed links could significantly increase existing figures.
APPG chief executive Dame Siobhain McDonagh said she was “horrified to see the new rise in the number of children whose deaths are linked to temporary accommodation” and that the new data on stillbirths and neonatal deaths was “equally shocking”.
He added: “We should all be outraged by these figures.”
Meanwhile, a separate report from the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee warned that temporary accommodation conditions were “often so poor that they are unfit for human habitation”.
The group of MPs called on the government to strengthen protection against substandard conditions, phase out unsuitable options such as shared facilities for families and plan for a long-term supply of quality temporary housing.
Its president, Florence Eshalomi, said: “It is truly devastating that this crisis has turned into a normalized emergency, with so many families trapped in so-called temporary accommodation for years and without a permanent roof over their heads.”
Housing charity Shelter said it was “a national scandal for any child to die homeless in this country”, adding that “a serious lack of safe and truly affordable social homes has left more than 175,000 children stranded in unsafe temporary accommodation”.
Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern said: “It breaks my heart that B&Bs have tragically contributed to the deaths of children.
“We must and are improving the whole system so that every child can have the best start in life.”
He said the Government set out in its child poverty strategy in December a commitment to “eliminating inappropriate or poor quality accommodation and ensuring that children in temporary accommodation do not experience gaps in healthcare provision”.
The strategy committed to “an end to the illegal placement of families in bed and breakfasts beyond the six-week limit”, confirming that the £8 million pilot scheme will continue for the next three years in the 20 local authorities with the highest numbers.
