London councils are increasingly looking to landlords in the Home Counties for a solution to the city’s homeless problem, which has been exacerbated by high rents, a reduction in the supply of council homes and cuts to the welfare budget, figures from the London Councils organisation shows.
This in turn is making it harder for councils in nearby areas – Berkshire, Essex and Kent, for example – to find housing for their own homeless residents.
The strategy is also causing rents to rise in outlying areas, as London councils offer higher rental rates and bonuses ranging from £1,000 to £6,000. London councils have paid almost £18m in bonuses over a three-year period, a freedom of information request showed.
The Guardian, p. 36
