English councils moving homeless families out of areas at almost three times official rate

Blackburn is one of the places where London local authorities are sending homeless people. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

Councils are moving homeless families out of their neighbourhoods at almost three times the rate that has been officially recognised, and some have been uprooted hundreds of miles from their support networks, according to research.

Data released under freedom of information (FoI) revealed that 34,418 households were placed out of area last year, based on responses from 80% of English councils. This incomplete figure suggests a total that is 172% above what was officially recorded the previous year.