The government has committed to ending the practice of children living in bed and breakfast accommodation under its newly published child poverty and homelessness strategy. The policy pledge arrives alongside measures to tackle inadequate temporary housing and to increase support for families living in poverty across the country. The commitment targets unlawful placements of families with children in B&Bs beyond six weeks, a limit set under existing rules. Under the new plan local authorities with the highest numbers of such placements will receive funding and support through an eight million pound pilot programme designed to relocate affected families into suitable temporary housing or social accommodation. Across England the number of children living in temporary accommodation has surged in recent years with the latest official data showing 169,050 children homeless in such living conditions, a record high and a twelve per cent increase over the previous year. The government’s strategy frames the end of children in B&Bs as a top priority alongside other reforms designed to reduce child poverty. Under the plan the use of B&Bs and other emergency nightly paid accommodation is to be restricted to genuine emergencies, with families quickly moved into suitable homes. The government plans to work with local councils to speed up the transition, improve the availability of social housing and temporary accommodation with proper facilities, and reduce reliance on unsuitable emergency housing. The strategy acknowledges that long stays in B&Bs and other temporary accommodation disrupt children’s schooling, destabilise family life and damage both physical and mental health. The government response to the 2024–25 committee report on homelessness reiterated that enough stable and safe housing must be made available to replace B&B placements for families. As part of the new approach local authorities will be required to prioritise inspection and monitoring of temporary accommodation before it is used, especially when children and families are involved. The government has pledged to expand funding to councils to ensure compliance with safety and suitability standards for temporary accommodation. Statistics from the charity sector and homelessness organisations show that emergency accommodation such as B&Bs remains among the most expensive and least appropriate forms of temporary housing. Families are often forced to share cramped rooms with limited cooking and hygiene facilities and may face continuous moves. The government aims to phase out such accommodation in favour of more sustainable and family friendly options. The announced measures come amid rising pressure on councils and public services. Recent quarterly figures revealed that more than 172,000 children were living in temporary accommodation across England at the end of June 2025, an increase of more than eight per cent compared with the previous year. The growing number has intensified calls for urgent government intervention and further expansion of social housing stock to meet demand. The government emphasises that ending children living in B&Bs forms part of a broader initiative to lift more than half a million children out of poverty by 2030. This will combine housing reforms with changes to benefits, childcare support and early years services aimed at preventing homelessness and reducing hardship for families. The plan will require close cooperation between central government, local councils and housing associations to deliver permanent homes and ensure no family is forced into emergency accommodation long term. With homelessness and unaffordable rents continuing to pressure families, the government’s promise to end children’s time in B&Bs signals a major shift in housing and social policy....