New figures have revealed the vast geographical spread of homeless households placed in temporary accommodation by a South London council, highlighting the severe pressures on local housing.
Hundreds of Households Dispersed Across the UK
As of December 1, 2025, Lewisham Council was providing temporary accommodation to 2,450 households. This represents a slight decrease from the 2,799 households recorded the previous year. However, the data reveals a fragmented picture, with these families and individuals now housed across a staggering 48 different local authority areas.
Just over half (51 per cent) of these households are staying within Lewisham's own borough boundaries. Meanwhile, a significant proportion are placed in neighbouring London boroughs, and 7 per cent are accommodated entirely outside the capital.
Breakdown of Temporary Accommodation Locations
The council's report, set to be presented to the Housing Select Committee on January 14, 2026, details where households are being placed. Croydon hosts the second-largest contingent at 11 per cent, followed by Greenwich with 7 per cent and Bromley with 5 per cent. A further 19 per cent are scattered across London's remaining boroughs.
The council cited a sustained demand for temporary accommodation, driven by newly accepted homeless applications and households forced to move when their current temporary housing becomes unsuitable or is withdrawn by landlords selling up or leaving the rental market.
Costly Nightly-Paid Accommodation Remains a Burden
The type of accommodation used presents a major financial challenge for the local authority. The report shows that 1,071 households are in nightly-paid accommodation, such as bed and breakfasts (B&Bs), which is the most expensive form of temporary housing.
Other households are housed in:
- 702 council-owned properties used as temporary lets.
- 192 private sector leased properties managed by the council.
- 485 privately managed accommodation (PMA) units rented from landlords.
While the council noted a "notable decrease" in the use of nightly-paid properties compared to December 2024, it acknowledged the number remains unacceptably high.
Prevention Efforts Amid a Growing Crisis
In response to the crisis, Lewisham's Housing Needs service has implemented measures aimed at preventing homelessness before it occurs. These initiatives include providing emergency funds and advice to households under financial stress.
Despite these efforts, the scale of displacement outlined in the report underscores the profound and ongoing housing crisis affecting families in South London, with local authorities struggling to find affordable and suitable homes within their own communities.
