Grenfell hotel bill tops £30million

... and after 16 months, 150 families are still homeless

THE bill for keeping Grenfell survivors in hotels has risen to nearly £30million, with more than 150 households still in emergency accommodation.

Despite promises that all those affected would be out of temporary homes by last Christmas, hundreds of people are still in limbo 16 months after the blaze.

More than 200 households were put up in hotels in London by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea following the disaster on June 14 last year, in which 72 died.

The council had spent £20.9million on hotel bills by mid-February.

But the total paid to 59 hotels, hostels and B&Bs has now almost reached the £30million mark, according to a council response to a freedom of information request from The Independent news website.

The bill is five times the original cost of building the tower, and does not include expenses paid to survivors. In addition, RBKC has spent £4.9million on other temporary housing, such as privately-owned flats.

The tower, which was completed in 1974, cost around £500,000 to build – equivalent to £6.2million in today’s money.

However, those helping former residents find new homes say they have been pressured into accepting housing that did not meet their needs or was in the shadow of the burnt- out tower, causing more distress.

Local MP Emma Dent Coad has accused the council of bullying former residents and trying blame the cost of hotels on those who had lost their homes and even their lovedones in the fire. She added: ‘This is a shocking waste of public money due to the council’s failure to purchase properties suitable to affected households. It is clear that senior officers and councillors have little idea how ordinary people live.’

The North Kensington Law Centre claimed one woman was coerced into taking a home without any flooring.

She was allegedly told to accept it by 10am the next morning or be classified as intentionally homeless. Spike Western, a paralegal at the centre, said: ‘These are very vulnerable people with diagnosed mental health illnesses resulting from what they witnessed on June 14, 2017. Sadly, rather than being treated with sensitivity, in many cases they feel they are a burden on the resources of a council who has lost patience with them.’

One survivor said living in emergency accommodation made it impossible for his family to rebuild their lives, while others say a lack of cooking facilities forces them to dine on takeaways, adding to a significant expenses bill.

The Tory-run authority has been criticised for the ‘painfully slow’ speed at which victims are being rehoused.

Deputy council leader Kim Taylor- Smith said: ‘ The human cost and loss of life will always outweigh any financial costs. We must do all we can to support families who suffered. That has been, and always will be, my priority.’

‘Impossible to rebuild our lives’