National Temporary Accommodation Network

Temporary Accommodation Action Groups (TAAGs) are cross-sector collaborative groups, including landlords, residents, local authorities and other public and voluntary sector stakeholders. TAAGs provide a vehicle to drive locally relevant change for temporary accommodation (TA).

TAAGs uncover specific challenges about TA in their local area and collectively develop, test and implement solutions to address those challenges. Our national network currently comprises nine TAAGs; East Sussex, Brighton, Bristol, Westminster, Newham, Waltham Forest, Islington and Hackney.

To stay updated with the network, you can sign up to our TA Network Newsletter here.

In short, anyone who has an interest, or is a direct stakeholder, in the TA system of a local area. This can for example be a City Council, a Borough Council or a County Council.

TAAGs are usually attended by:

• People with current or lived experience of temporary accommodation
• Elected members of the council and senior council officers
• Statutory support agencies and services
• Voluntary sector support services
• Temporary Accommodation providers (landlords)

TAAGs have led to a range of positive outcomes which can benefit all stakeholders involved. Examples of these include:

• Reductions in the number of evictions from TA
• Development of a standards charter which has been embedded in future TA contracts by one local authority
• Updating local allocations schemes and housing strategies
• Co-created standardised licence agreements
• Helped introduce free WiFi in council-run properties

Although Justlife would ideally play a part in every TAAG, they can be set up, established and run by anyone. The key ingredient is a willingness to collaborate with different TA sector stakeholders. This can start, for example, with Local Authority and key voluntary sector support organisations, or with TA providers and LA commissioners, and grow from there to include other stakeholders.

Each TAAG needs a chair to run and manage the meetings, someone to take minutes, and can get access to support from Justlife via a Network Development Worker.

If you are interested in setting up a TAAG and want to know more, please get in touch with our Network Development Workers here.