More than 60,000 households in London are homeless and living in temporary accommodation (TA). As its name signals, TA was only ever meant to be just that – temporary. But without affordable housing, families can be in TA for long periods of time, often separated from their communities and in sub-standard conditions.
Our vision
We want stays in TA to be as short, safe and healthy as possible. We’re funding work to:
- strengthen the voices of Londoners with experience of TA and organisations working with them
- build the capacity and connections of organisations working to create change
- strengthen and improve access to support for people living in TA.
Why change is needed
There aren’t enough organisations advocating for the large numbers of Londoners living in temporary and insecure housing. Those that do are often small, very local (maybe working with just one block or estate) and struggling with limited resources. They know their work is part of a much wider issue, but can find it hard to connect with others or achieve change beyond individual cases.
People living in TA may also struggle to know where or how to make their voices heard, and to access support and services. At the same time, policy- and decision-makers say they want to hear from Londoners in TA and organisations working with them, and are willing to refer people to support where it is available.
We fund work ranging from the hyper-local to London-wide. The organisations we fund meet for peer learning and to identify and pursue shared objectives four times a year. We also work closely with the London Housing Panel in partnership with the GLA.
The work so far
In Summer 2022 we provided funding to 11 projects working to improve the lives of Londoners in TA. Find out about these projects here.
What’s next?
We’ve made a few new grants in summer 2024 to experts working with migrants, Deaf and Disabled people and people with long-term health conditions. Our partners are also developing a collaboration to voice the basics that people living in Temporary Accommodation should be able to expect, while they wait for the permanent home they need. If you’d like more information about the work or future opportunities to get involved you can reach out to us for a chat.
About the programme
Better temporary accommodation for Londoners is funded by Trust for London, Oak Foundation and City Bridge Foundation. It aims to strengthen the voice, connections and influence of people in TA and ultimately to improve people’s experience of TA. The programme is running until 2026.
