The UK’s homelessness crisis continues to deepen as local councils rely heavily on hotels to house vulnerable families, spending millions of pounds on short-term accommodation.
With social housing stock dwindling and rents soaring in the private sector, many councils say they have no choice but to turn to hotels, even though they admit the system is unsustainable.
Families placed in hotels often face cramped conditions, lack of cooking facilities and long stays that were originally meant to be temporary.
Recent investigations revealed that some children are growing up in hotel rooms, attending school from a single room shared with siblings and parents, with little privacy or stability.
Councils argue that without adequate funding and reform, they are left firefighting a crisis that government policies have worsened by freezing housing benefits and failing to build enough affordable homes.
Critics call the reliance on hotels a misuse of public money, pointing out that it can cost more than investing in long-term housing solutions.
Charities supporting homeless families warn of the devastating impact on mental health, child development and family cohesion.
Meanwhile, landlords benefit from the shortage, with some hotel owners striking lucrative deals with councils desperate for any available rooms.
The practice has also created tensions in local communities, with residents voicing concerns over services and resources being stretched.
The government insists it is working to reduce reliance on hotels by funding alternative accommodation schemes, but progress has been slow.
For campaigners, the crisis is a stark illustration of how years of underinvestment in social housing have left the most vulnerable trapped in unsuitable living conditions.
Without systemic change, they warn, councils will continue spending vast sums on temporary fixes that do little to address the root causes of homelessness.
With social housing stock dwindling and rents soaring in the private sector, many councils say they have no choice but to turn to hotels, even though they admit the system is unsustainable.
Families placed in hotels often face cramped conditions, lack of cooking facilities and long stays that were originally meant to be temporary.
Recent investigations revealed that some children are growing up in hotel rooms, attending school from a single room shared with siblings and parents, with little privacy or stability.
Councils argue that without adequate funding and reform, they are left firefighting a crisis that government policies have worsened by freezing housing benefits and failing to build enough affordable homes.
Critics call the reliance on hotels a misuse of public money, pointing out that it can cost more than investing in long-term housing solutions.
Charities supporting homeless families warn of the devastating impact on mental health, child development and family cohesion.
Meanwhile, landlords benefit from the shortage, with some hotel owners striking lucrative deals with councils desperate for any available rooms.
The practice has also created tensions in local communities, with residents voicing concerns over services and resources being stretched.
The government insists it is working to reduce reliance on hotels by funding alternative accommodation schemes, but progress has been slow.
For campaigners, the crisis is a stark illustration of how years of underinvestment in social housing have left the most vulnerable trapped in unsuitable living conditions.
Without systemic change, they warn, councils will continue spending vast sums on temporary fixes that do little to address the root causes of homelessness.