Petition · Office of the Leader of the House of Commons
Ban councils from discharging housing duty if person refuses long distance offer
Closed
1,142 signatures
What the petition asks
Ban local councils from designating people as “intentionally homeless” and relieving themselves of their duty if someone refuses an offer of housing more than 90 minutes away. Councils should be able to make long distance offers, but such offers would not discharge their duty.
Many councils are under pressure to find housing for those who need it and may use “take it or leave it” offers, where people may be told that refusals could mean they are making themselves “intentionally homeless.” This can result in an offer of temporary or permanent housing over 200 miles away, where people may be forced to choose between being homeless or moving somewhere unfamiliar with no support, which may disrupt children's education and force them to quit their jobs.
Timeline
| 3 Dec 2025 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 3 Jun 2026 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
1,142
Status
Closed
Department
Office of the Leader of the House of Commons
Opened
3 Dec 2025
Closed
3 Jun 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 1 Aug 2026.