Prospect Podcast

Temporary accommodation: a national scandal

November 20, 2024
Illustration by Ben Jones
Illustration by Ben Jones

Families are spending years living in hotels, households are being moved miles across the country, and government is spending billions on a system that harms those it is designed to protect. What can be done?

This week, Ellen and Alona are joined by researcher and local government expert Jack Shaw to talk about his exclusive investigation into the growing scandal of temporary accommodation. This form of homelessness is worse in the UK than in any other nation in the OECD and has a terrible impact on families and individuals.

Jack reveals what goes into an investigation and shares his most shocking discoveries, including the millions that councils are doling out to private hoteliers. He explains why this is a problem—and which councils are trying to fix a broken system.

Plus, the hosts take on a hard-hitting Daily Mail article which condemned gen-Z’s embrace of “woke sandwiches”. Are fancy sandwiches a “banger” or a “dud”? Ellen and Alona discuss.

To read Jack’s article “Temporary accommodation nation” from the latest issue of the magazine, click here.

And to order tickets to our special book event with Lionel Barber, go here: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/gamblingman