FAMILIES with school age children are being moved out of Brent and Harrow in increasingly large numbers.
According to figures from 23 borough councils in London there has been a huge increase in the number of families, towards which the councils have a homelessness duty, which were moved to other boroughs and out of the capital altogether.
Out of the boroughs which responded Brent had the highest number of families with school age children which were moved to elsewhere in the country.
In 2010/2011 there were five families which were rehoused in other boroughs, but in this financial year (2013/2014) there have been 127.
Over the same period the number of families with school age children which were moved out of London has also increased as in 2010/2011 there was one family moved to elsewhere in the UK and this year there have been 49 so far.
Of the 23 boroughs which responded to the Freedom of Information request this is the highest number of families moved out of London, out of a total of 222 this year.
In Harrow there were 19 families with school age children which were moved to another borough in 2010/2011 and the following year there were 103.
In the last two years the figure has been 97 and 79 respectively.
Fewer families have been moved out of Harrow to other parts of the country than in Brent.
There were none in 2010/11, nine the following year and 15 in 2012/2013 and 14 in total this year.
The figures were obtained through an FOI request by Green Party Assembly Member Darren Johnson.
Boroughs were asked how many households with school-age children, towards which they accepted a homelessness duty, were housing outside of the borough but within London, and how many were housed outside of London.
Councillor Muhammed Butt (Labour) leader of Brent Council said: “Our borough is the area of the UK most heavily impacted by the government’s punitive benefit cap and the cruel Bedroom Tax, and we estimate that almost 50,000 Brent residents will see their social security payment reduced further when the Universal Credit kicks in. People in Brent are in desperate need of support from government at all levels, but George Osborne’s bingo budget offered no comfort to the local residents forced to turn to food banks by the coalition’s cost of living crisis.”
Harrow Council deputy leader and portfolio holder for adults and housing councillor Barry Macleod-Cullinane (Conservative) said: “Harrow has one of the smallest social housing stocks in London and like other boroughs we have a huge housing waiting list and high private rents. Where families face homelessness, we offer them all the help we can, including helping them to find privately rented properties and financial support. If this fails, we have to look at offering them accommodation outside Harrow. The council always tries to help families stay in Harrow; out of borough moves are only ever a last resort, with fewer than one in ten of our homeless families moving entirely out of London. If families do relocate, we take account of their preferences and assist them to resettle. Moving out of London is sometimes a better option for a family than remaining in emergency or B&B accommodation; it also means they often end up with a larger home and with a garden.”
