Three-quarters of homeless families in one Kent town are being placed in temporary accommodation outside their borough.

Figures released by Dartford council reveal there has been a 58% increase in homeless people being housed outside the borough in the last year with a 98% increase in families with dependent children being affected.

Some are being sent as far as Dover and Islington in North London.

In 2022, 377 households were placed in short term temporary accommodation, rising to 474 this year, while those with dependent children had risen from 169 to 299.

The number placed outside the borough has raised from 230 to 364 with those families with dependent children being housed elsewhere creeping from 120 to 238.

According to Labour leader Cllr Jonathon Hawkes, this figure is representative of what is happening across the country, but he feels more could be done by Dartford council to support these families.

He said: “How do we make sure the kids’ education is not disrupted if they need to get them back into Dartford for school or have to find a new school where they are now living?

“How can we make sure the accommodation is suitable?”

Deputy Labour group leader Cllr Kelly Grehan said such displacement can have a huge impact.

She said: “For most families, being placed outside the borough is devastating.

“In many cases it means kids cannot get to school - and it’s often not easy to get into a new school in Kent without a lengthy wait.

“People often have to give up jobs because they cannot get to their employment on public transport.

“It also means people are far away from everyone and everything they know - including family who helped with childcare.”

She added: “What I have seen of people in this situation is they are overwhelmed and it has a huge impact on mental health for both the parents and children.”

One parent, who did not wish to be named, said being served with an eviction notice two weeks ago has been devastating.

I am physically sick every morning with the worry of it

She said: “I don’t know where I will go. I’ve made a life for myself here. I have friends and a community.

“I have been given antidepressants and been told I am clinically depressed. I have been advised to be signed off work, but I need the money.

“I have lost loads of weight as I am physically sick every morning with the worry of it.”

This week saw the start of the pathway through Parliament for a Bill aimed at ending the practice of section 21 no-fault evictions, which Cllr Hawkes said are a huge factor in the growing numbers of people facing homelessness.

He said: “A landlord can just choose to evict people for no reason.”

At a council meeting of the overview and scrutiny committee on Tuesday (September 10) the idea to review the support offered to those placed in temporary accommodation was proposed by Labour.

Councillor David Mote (Con), cabinet portfolio holder for housing, said: “The housing department works extremely hard to find appropriate accommodation for people in this situation and to make sure it is of an acceptable standard.

“We have a statutory requirement as a council to find people somewhere to live, but regrettably we don’t have a statutory requirement to help them find a new school, etc.”

However, he thought the idea of a review into the support offered was a positive one and said it was being looked into.

He said: “The idea that we support out of borough placements and signpost where they can go for help must be a positive one.”