Ealing Council is set to approve changes to the way it will house residents requiring temporary accommodation.

This includes formally dividing all placements into three geographic areas and how people will qualify for it. Currently, the rules around which residents are placed where is quite subjective – the new rules will made this more rigid.

Zone 1 – remaining in Ealing

If residents qualify for a Zone 1 placement, they will be given a place within the borough. Those given priority for in-borough placement will be:

Households with one child (or more) who has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and attends a specialist educational setting in Ealing;

Households where one person (or more) has a severe and enduring physical condition requiring intensive and specialist medical treatment and this treatment is only available in Ealing;

Households with one or more persons in receipt of a significant care package administered by the Council, and/or the NHS, which cannot be transferred to another area.

Zone 2 – within 90 minutes of Ealing

A Zone 2 placement will give someone temporary accommodation within 90 minutes of Ealing. This will provide priority to:

Households where one person or more are in permanent and settled employment where they have been continuously employed for a period of six months and for 16 hours or more per week – within the DWP guidelines on reasonable travelling times for employment;

Women who are on maternity leave from employment and had been continuously employed for a period of six months and for 16 hours or more per week prior to commencement of maternity leave;

Families with children due to take GCSEs, AS, A Levels or BTEC exams (or equivalent / key stage of education);

Households with one child (or more) subject of a Child Protection Plan; or families who are currently helped by Children Services where it is confirmed and accepted by Housing Service that a transfer to another area would significantly impact on their welfare;

Ealing's care experienced young adults (CEYA) under the age of 25 and who have an assigned Personal Assistant.

Zone 3 – anywhere else

The final zone will apply to households who do not meet the above criteria. They will be placed anywhere else, including outside of London with no cap on how far from home that may be.

This will also apply to households where risk of gang and drug-related or any other form of violence makes a move outside London preferable and households interested in relocating outside of London.

Ealing Council says it will provide a consistent and transparent framework for providing temporary housing accommodation whilst balancing individual needs. The document states: "It is about ensuring that vulnerable residents receive the right accommodation, the right support and the best possible opportunity to move into settled housing, whilst enabling the council to continue meeting its statutory homelessness duties in an increasingly challenging housing market."

Whilst the council accepts that some groups with protected characteristics may suffer adverse impacts associated with out of borough placements, the council claims the policy contains significant safeguards against this.