A mother and her three young children were forced to live in their car for six months following a series of serious failings by Croydon Council, according to a government watchdog.
Among the council’s failings was an offer of emergency accommodation more than 250 miles from their local area, despite being aware of the mother’s caring responsibilities.
In a decision issued in March, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) found that the young family continues to suffer the “physical, emotional and psychological impact” of their ordeal.
When the family was made homeless via a Section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction notice in August 2025, Croydon Council housing officers offered to relocate them to another town 250 miles away. The council argued that the mother — referred to in the official report as Miss X — was not working enough hours to qualify for local support.
However, their offer ignored the fact that Miss X was a carer for her own mother — a detail already recorded on the council’s system.
After refusing the property due to its location, the family was left entirely without housing assistance from August 2025 until January 2026.
During this period, Miss X said that she and her children were forced to sleep in their car. According to the ombudsman, Miss X and her three children experienced “severe distress” during this extended period of uncertainty.
Following a referral to the ombudsman in December 2025, the watchdog found that Croydon failed in its legal duty to prevent the family’s homelessness when first presented with an eviction notice in December 2024. Housing officers then exacerbated Miss X’s situation by taking 14 weeks to process a housing review and delaying their initial complaint response by 67 working days.
In their decision, delivered on March 13, the LGO concluded that Croydon’s actions caused the family severe physical, emotional and psychological distress. Alongside the financial payout of £7,700 to Miss X, the council was made to issue a formal apology and backdate the mother’s priority status on the housing register.
Croydon Council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Miss X and her family have since been placed in suitable accommodation and continue to receive support.
A spokesperson for the council added: “We sincerely apologise to our resident and regret that she did not receive the support she needed. We have accepted the ombudsman’s findings that there were delays in handling this case and that communications with our resident should have been better.
“Like many councils across London, we are facing growing demand for homelessness support and there is a national shortage of suitable housing. In 2024/25, we saw a 50 per cent increase in requests for homelessness support and dealt with more than 4,800 applications.
“Our housing service has gone through major changes, with a stronger focus on preventing homelessness and helping residents get support earlier. This includes introducing face-to-face and telephone services for those seeking advice; an appointment service to improve assessments; and tailored support for vulnerable residents with complex needs.
“We have also increased staffing to ensure that Personalised Housing Plans are issued accurately and on time. We are continuing to review and improve our services so residents can access the support they need at an early stage.”
