Call on councils to guarantee the Five Basics

The Five Basics are amenities we all rely on: cooking, laundry, Wi-Fi, storage and clear information. Yet families in temporary accommodation (TA) are expected to cope without them, often for years at a time

What is happening?

Around 70,000 households in London are homeless and living in temporary accommodation (TA). As its name signals, TA was only ever meant to be just that – temporary. But without affordable housing, families can be in TA for long periods of time, often separated from their communities and in sub-standard conditions.

Most of us wouldn’t get through a week without cooking a meal, washing our clothes, getting online, or being able to access our belongings.
Yet right now, 1 in 50 Londoners are in ‘temporary’ accommodation, and many are expected to manage without the basics for months, or even years, at a time. Without these basics, it’s hard for families in TA to function, cope, get back on their feet, and stay well.

London councils already spend £90 million a month on temporary accommodation. By committing to the Five Basics — cooking, laundry, Wi-Fi, storage and information — councils can demand better value for public money, turning that spend into support that helps families eat well, stay clean, find work, do homework and stay connected to vital services.
It’s an affordable fix that would have a huge impact on residents’ lives. Councils can start this year and take a big step towards our goal of making stays in TA short, safe, and healthy for everyone.

Call on your council to Fix the Five Basics

Use this tool to email your Cabinet Member for Housing — the councillor with the power to change housing policy — or the Leader of the Opposition, who can push for the Five Basics in their party's manifesto.

The email is pre-written, but adding your own story makes it more powerful. It takes 2 minutes.

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What we are asking for

Fixing the Five Basics is practical and affordable. We are asking the council to:

Provide cooking equipment or meal funding where there is no kitchen
Guarantee free, reliable Wi-Fi (or provide free data SIMs)
Ensure free onsite laundry or cover launderette costs
Proactively offer free, secure storage
Give every resident a named contact and regular updates about their case

Temporary Accommodation in Westminster

A shocking 3,805 children are currently living in Westminster City Council temporary homeless accommodation. Westminster has the second highest rate of households living in temporary accommodation of anywhere in the country – 1 in 21 households.

1. Cooking facilities

Many residents in TA are placed in hotels or rooms without kitchens. Without somewhere to cook, families are forced to rely on takeaways or expensive ready meals. This makes it harder to eat healthily and pushes already stretched budgets to breaking point.

Emeka, a disabled man who spent 21 months in a hotel, described spending £200 a month on takeaways because he had no way to cook. Sometimes he skipped meals to cope. For people already facing higher living costs due to disability or caring responsibilities, this creates impossible choices between food and other essentials.

2. Wi-Fi

Access to the internet is not a luxury – it is essential for job applications, managing benefits, schoolwork, medical appointments and staying in touch with support networks. Without reliable internet, people struggle to move forward with employment, training and housing applications – prolonging their time in TA.

Some residents report unstable, capped or pay-per-hour Wi-Fi in hotels. One resident, Jordan, nearly missed an online job interview because the connection failed and had to rush to a friend’s home. Others have been told to arrange the installation of broadband themselves during supposedly short-term stays.

3. Laundry facilities

Washing clothes should not require long journeys or additional expense. Yet many residents either have no access to washing machines or must pay to use inadequate shared facilities. For families with young children, or people with health conditions, regular access to laundry is essential.

Edward, a stroke survivor with limited mobility, was placed in accommodation without a washing machine and told to install one himself – pending property agent approval that never came. He had to rely on friends to wash his clothes, causing pain and inconvenience.

4. Storage

When families are moved suddenly – often due to forced eviction or domestic abuse – they may have nowhere to store belongings. Without secure, free storage, people are forced to dispose of furniture and appliances they may later need.

Ms Begum, a single mother who fled domestic abuse, had to throw away essential items because storage was not offered. The appliances in her temporary flat did not meet her family’s health needs, causing financial loss and further hardship.

5. Information

Perhaps most distressing is the lack of clear communication. Many residents say they do not know what stage their housing application is at, who to contact about repairs, or what their next steps are. Poor communication leaves families anxious, unsupported and at risk of further crisis.

Louise, placed out of area with her daughter, spent months chasing repairs for damp and mould while receiving conflicting advice. Bola only discovered her housing benefit had stopped – and she was falling into serious rent debt – when her Z2K adviser intervened.

Get involved

Ending the temporary accommodation crisis will take time. But ensuring access to these five basics can happen now.

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