S3E8 Housing crisis: A lifetime in ‘temporary’ accommodation - with Kwajo Tweneboa

Media Storm

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Content warning: This episode features mentions of domestic abuse, self-harm, and addiction.

The definition of temporary is ‘lasting for only a limited period of time; not permanent’. Yet in the UK, more and more families are finding themselves in temporary accommodation which feels anything but short-lived.

With reports of people living for multiple years in so-called 'temporary' housing, just last month, government statistics showed that the number of households in temporary accommodation in England had hit a 25-year high: nearly 105,000 households, including more than 131,000 children. And that's not all - we've heard from families who have lived together in one hotel room for months on end, who have stayed in places with damp, mould, a lack of heating, or worse.

So how is this ever worsening crisis solved? This week, Media Storm sets out to speak to people who have lived in temporary accommodation and ask them what they think the solutions are. Plus, we hear from the chair of the London Housing Panel about bringing lived experience into policy-making, and from London's Deputy Mayor for Housing Tom Copely.

We are joined in the studio by social issues campaigner and presenter Kwajo Tweneboa, who, after experiencing the UK housing crisis first-hand, is leading the charge for meaningful housing reform.

Featured:

With thanks to Aishah Siddiqa at Heard heard.org.uk, the charity working with people and the media to inspire content and communication that changes hearts and minds, for putting us in touch with Rebecca, Aga, and Jenni.

• @londonrentersunion
• @tomcopley
• trustforlondon.org.uk/what-we-do/housing/london-housing-panel/
• @kwajotweneboa

Sources:

• English Housing Survey data https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2015-to-2016-headline-report
• Latest figures on temp housing https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statutory-homelessness-in-england-january-to-march-2023/statutory-homelessness-in-england-january-to-march-2023

Your hosts are @helenawadia and @mathildamall. Music by Samfire @soundofsamfire.

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