Written evidence submitted by Anonymous [HCE 084]
Written evidence on the impact of temporary accommodation on children and families - “Aeon’s Law”
I am a parent with lived experience of prolonged placement in temporary accommodation with a child. This submission is based on direct experience, supported by documentary evidence, and reflects issues consistently identified by housing charities, oversight bodies, and local authority complaints mechanisms.
Temporary accommodation was designed as a short-term emergency measure. In practice, it has become a prolonged and unstable living situation for many children. Weak enforcement of standards, absence of time limits, and limited real-time accountability mean that children are exposed to avoidable harm to their health, education, and wellbeing. This submission proposes targeted reforms - referred to as Aeon’s Law - to introduce enforceable minimum standards and safeguards for children in temporary accommodation.
1. Temporary accommodation is no longer temporary
Families with children are frequently placed in temporary accommodation for extended periods, sometimes many months or years, without automatic escalation or senior review.
2. Standards exist but lack enforcement
Current guidance on suitability and habitability is inconsistently applied. Families report being housed in accommodation affected by damp, vermin, overcrowding, and hazards, with limited immediate remedies.
3. Disproportionate impact on children
Children experience repeated disruption to schooling, sleep, health, and emotional wellbeing due to unstable placements, distance from schools, and frequent moves.
4. Accountability mechanisms are retrospective
Complaints processes and ombudsman investigations often conclude after harm has already occurred, offering limited protection to children in real time.
The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has already recognised the scale and seriousness of harm experienced by children in temporary accommodation in its report England’s Homeless Children: The Crisis in Temporary Accommodation and the Government’s subsequent response (HC 979, June 2025). This submission builds on those findings by proposing targeted, enforceable safeguards to address gaps between existing duties and lived reality.
• Disruption to school attendance and learning
• Health impacts linked to poor housing conditions and instability
• Repeated placements far from existing schools and support networks
• Delays in response despite documented disrepair and safeguarding concerns
Further documentary evidence is available and can be provided if requested.
The Committee is invited to consider the following proportionate reforms:
Temporary accommodation for families with children should meet clear, legally enforceable minimum standards.
Defined maximum periods, with automatic escalation and senior oversight where exceeded.
Reasonable proximity to a child’s existing school, with funded transport where necessary.
Regular reviews (e.g. at 4, 8, and 12 weeks) assessing child impact and next steps, shared with families.
Prompt corrective action and recorded remedies where local authorities fail to meet their obligations.
Children should not experience prolonged instability as a consequence of housing shortages or weak enforcement. Aeon’s Law proposes targeted safeguards that would reduce harm, improve accountability, and lower long-term public costs. Temporary accommodation must be safe, stable, and genuinely temporary for children.
January 2026