You may have seen that Tower Hamlets Council in London has updated its Homelessness Accommodation Placement Policy, which has sparked some concerns. The new policy, approved in July 2024, removes the previous 90-minute journey time limit for placing homeless families in temporary accommodation.
The council will now use zones to allocate accommodation:
Zone A: Within Tower Hamlets.
Zone B: Within Greater London.
Zone C: In the Home Counties (Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire).
Zone D: Beyond the Home Counties, over a 90-minute journey time.
Families will be placed in different zones based on their children’s ages. For example, those with children in their final year of GCSEs or A-Levels will stay within the borough, while others might be placed further away.
Opposition councillors have raised concerns, arguing that the policy doesn’t consider the impact on vulnerable families, especially single parents and those with mental health issues. They believe the move is premature and unnecessary.
What do you think on this policy change??
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