New Family Welcome Centre Opens in Harold Hill to Keep Homeless Havering Families Close to Home

4th August 20264th August 2026 Francesca Lilleystone 0 Comments Harold Hill Family Centre, Havering Council, Homeless min read

A new Family Welcome Centre has officially opened in Harold Hill, providing safe, high-quality accommodation for local families who would otherwise face being placed in temporary housing, often outside the borough.

The purpose-built centre has been created by Havering Council and provides 74 self-contained homes for families, along with on-site support services to help residents access housing, education and employment.

The new facility comes as councils across London continue to face growing pressure from rising homelessness and increasing demand for temporary accommodation, particularly hotels and privately rented placements.

The Family Welcome Centre will primarily support Havering families to whom the Council already owes a housing duty, helping to reduce the need to place residents miles away from their schools, jobs, family members and support networks.

By increasing the amount of temporary accommodation available within the borough, Havering Council says it aims to keep more families close to home, reduce disruption to children’s education, maintain access to healthcare and support services, and cut its reliance on expensive nightly-paid accommodation.

Unlike many temporary accommodation schemes that rely on privately leased buildings, the new centre is based within a Council-owned property. This means Havering Council retains control over the quality of the accommodation while also protecting the long-term value of the asset.

The Council estimates the Family Welcome Centre will save around £1.7 million every year by reducing the need for costly temporary accommodation currently used to house homeless families.

As well as providing accommodation, the centre includes dedicated space for support services, allowing staff to work directly with families to help them move into permanent housing as quickly as possible.

Councillor Martin Lardner, Havering’s Cabinet Member for Housing Demand, said:

“The Family Welcome Centre is about supporting Havering families who are already in housing need and to whom we owe a duty. Too often, that has meant placing people in hotels or far outside the borough, which is disruptive and very costly.

“By creating high-quality accommodation here in Havering, we can keep families closer to their schools, support networks and services.

“As part of the Council’s 100-day plan, we are working to reduce reliance on expensive temporary accommodation placements, while providing a more stable and consistent standard of accommodation for families.

“It’s a more stable and more responsible way of supporting residents at a difficult time.”

The Family Welcome Centre has already received industry recognition, being highly commended in the Social Housing Development of the Year (51–100 units) category at The Bricks awards.

It also achieved an “Excellent” score of 45 out of 45 across the Community, Environment and Workforce categories under the Considerate Constructors Scheme.

In addition, the project received a LABC Site Recognition Award, recognising the high standards of site management and construction throughout the build.

The Family Welcome Centre forms the first phase of the wider regeneration of Harold Hill, which also includes the Farnham, Hilldene and Chippenham Road schemes as part of the Council’s long-term investment in the area and improvements for local residents.

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