London Council Criticised for Emergency Housing Failure
A North London council has been strongly criticised for its handling of a homelessness case involving a mother and her young child, with the local authority ordered to pay substantial compensation for its failings.
Investigation Reveals Council's Shortcomings
The Local Government Ombudsman investigation found that Harrow Council failed to provide emergency accommodation to a mother, referred to as Miss D, and her child while it looked into their immigration status and connection to the area. The council has now been ordered to pay Miss D £1,700 "for the distress and lost opportunity" resulting from its procedural failures.
The case began when Miss D first approached Harrow Council for homelessness assistance on March 10, 2025, after receiving notice to leave her existing temporary accommodation within two weeks. Initially, the council told her to contact a different local authority as she had "no local connection to Harrow" according to their assessment.
Documentation Demands Delayed Support
After a friend intervened on Miss D's behalf, the council discovered she had previously withdrawn a homelessness application with another authority in February. Despite recognising that Miss D was in priority need with a young child, the council delayed providing interim accommodation while it considered her local connection status.
The council allocated a case officer on March 12 who informed Miss D that emergency accommodation wouldn't be provided until she supplied identification documents and her child's birth certificate. After providing these documents, the officer then demanded an e-visa with photographs for both mother and child before emergency accommodation could be requested.
Miss D explained that her child was a UK citizen and therefore didn't require an e-visa, nor did they possess a passport. The officer insisted on evidence of the child's immigration status, despite Miss D having been advised by Home Office staff that a birth certificate was sufficient to establish the child's status.
Delayed Response and Compensation
The council only began considering interim accommodation on March 26, with a proposed start date of April 2. In its final stage complaint response in May, the council apologised for officers' failure to explain why documentation was needed and for not following established procedures.
The Ombudsman report stated clearly: "It was clear from mid-March that Miss D was homeless, and she should have received immediate support." The report further noted that even where a child's immigration status wasn't confirmed, the council should have contacted Children's Services to consider accommodation options.
The Ombudsman concluded: "The faults by the council meant Miss D lost an opportunity to have her homelessness case picked up and investigated from the first point of contact on March 10. She was not provided with clear explanations about the process and not afforded a reasonable level of service at an already difficult time."
Council Response and Changes
A spokesperson for Harrow Council said: "We accept the Ombudsman's findings and have apologised to Miss D for the distress and uncertainty caused by the handling of this case. We have reviewed our processes and strengthened our procedures including additional training for staff to prevent similar issues in the future."
In addition to the £1,700 compensation awarded to Miss D, the council has implemented several changes to improve its homelessness service. The report didn't clarify whether the council's failings resulted in temporary homelessness for the mother and child, but highlighted significant procedural shortcomings in how the case was managed.
