Almost half of homeless Waltham Forest residents are being housed outside the borough, a new council report reveals.
Around 47% of households were living in temporary accommodation beyond the borough in April. The council puts this down to the "limited supply of homes and high cost of housing locally".
Residents facing homelessness are commonly owed a housing duty by their local council, which means the town hall will find them settled accommodation to keep them off the streets.
Falling, but still high
The 47% figure is down from a peak of 65% in October 2024. The number of households living in temporary accommodation has also fallen, from a peak of 1,710 in September 2025 to 1,527 in April.
The cost, though, remains considerable. The council says temporary accommodation "remains a significant financial challenge", adding: "we are forecast to spend £19.9m on [temporary accommodation] in this financial year alone".
The report is clear that the impact goes beyond the budget: "Most importantly this means far too many of our residents continue to be living in [temporary accommodation] which we know impacts significantly on their health, wellbeing and life chances."
Distance versus duty
The council says it aims to minimise the number of households placed out of the borough, and "understands the serious challenges often caused by living further away from local networks, schools and employment".
That aim, it says, "must be balanced against the council's statutory duties and the significant financial pressures it faces".
The report points to progress in housing over the last year "amid significant and persistent financial pressures", but concludes that more is needed: "We need to do more across the board to improve the experience of our residents, particularly when it comes to the services we provide as a landlord, and to do everything within our power as a local authority to reduce the number of households living in temporary accommodation."
The report will go before senior Green councillors at a cabinet meeting next week.
