A total of 1,549 households were living in temporary accommodation last November, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter
Waltham Forest Council is spending less money on keeping homeless residents in temporary accommodation, though admissions are rising.
According to a new council report, the average weekly cost of keeping a household fell from £327 in October to £246 in November last year – a drop of around 25%.
The costs peaked last spring, jumping sharply from £244 in April to £378 in May. The increase reflected a shortage of spaces in both council-owned properties and the private rental sector.
Councils owe residents at risk of homelessness a duty of care and to offer them shelter. Many authorities across London, including Waltham Forest Council, pay for families to stay in hotels or bed-and-breakfast-style accommodation, which can put a heavy strain on the coffers.
There are currently more than 8,000 people on the council’s housing register, waiting to be allocated a permanent place to live. Around 200 people apply each month and 88% of cases are accepted, new data shows.
A total of 1,549 households were reported to be living in temporary accommodation last November, and the rate is only increasing. The numbers rose steadily through 2024, climbing from 1,096 in January.
Third-party hotels remain the most expensive avenue, costing the council around £607 a week on average. The second most was licensed accommodation, at £299.
Though the council’s housing system is still under pressure, it says that the recent acquisition of two former hotels in Lea Bridge Road – bringing 221 new units into use – led to a “dramatic drop” in costs.
In the report, officers said “economic uncertainty” had led to a shortage of new ‘affordable’ housing being built in the borough and across London.
The impact of “inflation, static values, and increasing borrowing costs” has made it more difficult for residents to “find and move into homes that suit their needs,” the council says.
Top councillors have warned since last year that the borough is in the grips of a “significant” housing crisis.
In June, the council was anticipating a £10million overspend on its housing budget. It would be partly offset by a £4.4m government grant, but the town hall has been forced to look at internal cuts to save money.
Council leader Grace Williams said the council would be forced to make “tough decisions” to keep afloat and meet its legal obligations to residents.
Deputy leader Ahsan Khan wrote in the town hall’s housing strategy for 2025 through 2029 that “this will be a challenge, and we are acutely aware that national changes to housing policy will also be needed”.
The council aims to build 27,000 new homes by 2035 as part of its Local Plan, which will soon be submitted to independent government inspectors.
Plans for more than 380 new ‘affordable’ homes around Lea Bridge Station were green-lit earlier this month. The new flats will be spread across a 26-storey tower and a 29-storey tower off Argall Way.
Around 9,100 new homes were built in the borough between 2012 and 2021. Of those, just shy of 3,000 were classed as ‘affordable’ housing.
Between 2011 and 2019, the average private rent ballooned by 42%. House prices have also risen by 118% between 2014 and 2024 – the fastest growth in the UK.
Waltham Forest was the fourth most affordable London borough to live back in 2002, but had fallen to 14th by 2022.
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