Families with children are being housed in temporary accommodation in west London by Redbridge council due to a "huge shortfall" in housing.

There are 49 families housed in bed and breakfasts for more than six weeks by the council, it was announced at Neighbourhoods and Communities Service Committee last night (July 1) at the town hall in Ilford.

The government guidelines state that families with children should not be in temporary accommodation for more than six weeks.

Cllr Ross Hatfull, cabinet member for housing and benefits, admitted there was some people living as far as Brent in west London.

He said: “We are finding it increasingly difficult to find accommodation for people living on benefits.

“We can’t afford housing in London and there is a massive problem of benefits not covering rents, if no one is able to cover the shortfall then we are paying.

“Landlords are turning away and do not want to do business with us when they can make more money elsewhere.

“It is a daily battle and officers are looking at radical solutions to solve this, there are no certainly easy options."

Council papers show that the temporary accommodation budget is predicted to post a overspend of £3.5m.

Conservative Cllr Michelle Dunn said: “It is a huge risk for us as a borough to be housing families with children for more than six weeks in temporary accommodation as we could be fined by central government.

“49 families are without homes at the moment and we need to be giving them the advice and help to get them out of this 

"The predicted overspend is really concerning and there needs to emergency solutions found.” 

East London and West Essex Guardian Series: Boris Johnson with Cllr Michelle Dunn during his visit.

Cllr Michelle Dunn (right) with Boris Johnson.