Far From Home: Lesson from Westminster's Out-of-Area Temporary Accommodation Crisis
Published September 2026
The growing use of out-of-area temporary accommodation has become one of the most visible consequences of England’s homelessness crisis. Across the country, more than 43,000 households are currently living in temporary accommodation outside the local authority area that accepted responsibility for their homelessness application. Westminster City Council is at the sharpest end of this trend, placing a higher rate of households out-of-area than any other local authority in England.
This briefing, co-produced with current and former residents of Westminster temporary accommodation, examines the impact that out-of-area placements can have on households and identifies practical steps that local authorities can take to reduce harm. Drawing on residents’ testimony, case studies from Z2K’s advice service and policy analysis, it finds that the consequences of out-of-area placements extend far beyond housing itself.
Z2K's recommendations
- The council should retain its existing support schemes for temporary accommodation residents.
- Westminster Council should explore introducing a targeted cash grants scheme for households placed in out-of-area temporary accommodation.
- Westminster City Council should work with the NHS and other services to ensure residents placed out-of-area can exercise choice about which services they access.
- Westminster City Council should review and refine the information packs provided to temporary accommodation residents.
- Westminster City Council should introduce a single named point of contact for temporary accommodation residents.
- Westminster City Council should ensure that residents have access to free, local and secure storage.
- Westminster City Council should seek to minimise out-of-area placements as far as possible. Where residents are placed out-of-area, placements should be as close to Westminster as possible.