Kirklees Council spent £1.8m housing some of the borough’s most vulnerable children in ‘illegal’ unregulated accommodation last year.
Most children in care are looked after by foster carers or in children’s homes but in some cases unregulated accommodation is used. Such accommodation is not inspected by Ofsted, and can include settings like flats, hostels, bedsits or even caravans, tents and barges.
The government banned use of unregulated accommodation for under 16s in 2021 and extended the ban to 16 and 17 year olds two years later. Despite this, it continues to be used by some local authorities.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) Request has revealed that from 1 April, 2024 to 31 March, 2025, Kirklees Council spent £1,843,556 housing looked after children under the age of 16 in unregulated accommodation, with this figure also taking into account staffing costs. The council did not specify the type of property being used to house the affected Kirklees children.
At the time the FOI was submitted in May of this year, “less than five” under 16s were living in unregulated accommodation in Kirklees. The council said it was unable to give the exact figure due to the low number of children involved.
A report from the Children’s Commissioner published in September 2020 said: “What is common to all types of unregulated accommodation is that the vulnerable children placed there are not entitled to ‘care’, where children are closely supervised around the clock, but to ‘support’. ‘Support’ might mean a check in with staff to discuss education or employment opportunities, and limited help with practical things including money management.
“This effectively means that children supposedly in care are being left to fend for themselves, with very limited support from keyworkers – perhaps five hours or so each week, or less.”
Kirklees Council says it is reducing its reliance on unregulated accommodation, despite pressure from a “national shortage” of regulated placements.
Cllr Viv Kendrick, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “Kirklees Council is committed to doing everything possible to ensure that all children in our care receive the right support, at the right time, in the safest and most appropriate setting.
“While the national shortage of regulated placements continues to place pressure on councils across the country, Kirklees is actively reducing its reliance on unregulated accommodation. In 2024/25, our overall spend in this area fell significantly to under £1.8m – down from £2.6m the previous year.
“We continue to work hard to invest in long-term solutions. This includes expanding our in-house residential provision, increasing local foster carer recruitment, and working closely with providers to develop more regulated, high-quality placements for children with complex needs.
“For the small number of children who are supported in unregulated accommodation, their safety and wellbeing remains our absolute priority. We have strong systems of oversight in place, including weekly senior-level reviews, regular visits from professionals, quality assurance checks, and close partnership with trusted agencies.
“These arrangements are always temporary and carefully monitored, with a clear focus on moving each child into the most appropriate regulated setting as soon as possible.
“Kirklees Council continues to plan strategically and act decisively to improve placement options for local children and ensure they receive the care and support they deserve.”
