Lewisham has become a favoured location for other London boroughs in the rehousing of their homeless.

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism has published an investigation into the UK’s housing crisis revealing that taxpayers have spent almost £2bn housing vulnerable homeless families in short-term temporary accommodation in the past four years.

“The study looks at how councils are struggling to cope with increasing numbers of homeless as rising rents and benefit cuts leave the poor unable to afford their homes. At the same time a shortage of affordable housing is forcing local authorities, particularly in London, to place an increasing number of households into bed and breakfast accommodation, hostels and shelters.”