THURROCK Council has taken more homeless families than any other area outside London.
Eighteen London boroughs have moved families to Thurrock over the last year according to research conducted by the BBC.
Barking and Dagenham 165
Barnet 7
Brent 1
Camden 1
Croydon 4
Enfield 4
Greenwich 16
Hackney 10
Hammersmith 3
Haringey 5
Havering 7
Islington 9
Kensington 15
Lambeth 2
Newham 47
Redbridge 61
Waltham Forest 19
Westminster 49
At least 266 families are currently in the area, up from just 29 three years ago.
London boroughs are buying properties locally or paying Thurrock landlords to house their residents as tenants.
Thurrock Council leader, John Kent said: "There is nothing we can do about either of these. But the first has the effect of reducing the number of homes available for local people to buy or rent and the second forces the cost of all local private rents through the roof."
The homeless charity Shelter said out of borough placements were unacceptable.
Chief executive Campbell Robb told the BBC: "Uprooting homeless families and sending them away from their jobs, schools and support networks should only ever be a last resort, but shockingly it’s now the norm in London."
