The number of families living in bed and breakfast accommodation in Westminster for more than six weeks has been slashed to zero, according to Inside Housing.

Despite it being illegal to house families in B&Bs for more than six weeks when they present as homeless, this year Westminster Council was still placing 171 families in such accommodation over the time limit.

The authority spent £25 million on housing the homeless families in temporary accommodation, including £248,000 on rooms at the Jurys Inn Hotel in Chelsea, because they could not find anywhere else to house them.

But the council has said it now has no families living in B&Bs for over six-weeks, largely due to procuring more self-contained accommodation.

Councillors were told the supply of new self-contained properties had exceeded new demand in recent weeks, but remained predominantly ‘nightly booked’ accommodation.

30 new long-term leased properties were sourced in the month, councillors were informed.

In November last year, housing minister Mark Prisk said the council’s placing of families in B&Bs for more than six weeks was ‘unlawful and unacceptable’.