Homeless families in the Wirral, which includes homelessness minister Alison McGovern’s constituency, are not being provided with “safe sleep” advice and only provide cots “on request”, according to Freedom of Information requests filed by the New Statesman.
Wirral Council confirmed in a statement that there were 46 children aged 0-1 housed in temporary accommodation in 2024, and 41 in 2025. There were a further 26 and 25 children aged 1-2 in each respective year.
Safe sleep advice reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Sids, formerly known as cot death), which is the most common cause of death among children in temporary accommodation according to the National Child Mortality Database.
Nearly three-quarters of councils currently do not provide “safe sleep” advice to homeless families in temporary accommodation, according to an investigation by the New Statesman. One in ten councils do not provide cots to homeless families with children under two, which is a requirement under guidance issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in March 2024.
Thirteen out of 21 councils in constituencies represented by Cabinet Members don’t routinely provide safe sleep advice. All 21 nominally provide cots, although around half qualify it in some way, such as it is “on request”.
One current member of the government, paymaster general Nick Thomas-Symonds, represents a constituency where the local council, Torfaen County Borough Council, does not provide either cots or safe sleep advice. Redbridge Council, where former Secretary of State for Health and Labour leadership contender, Wes Streeting, has his constituency of Ilford North, also falls into this category.
A Wirral Council spokesperson said: “We are wholly committed to meeting our responsibilities to individuals and families who require emergency or temporary accommodation, particularly where there are young children involved.”
They added that they are able to provide a cot to any accommodation “immediately once we know that one is required” and they are “are actively looking at bringing in” safe sleep advice as part of a wider review of support in temporary accommodation.
Alison McGovern and Wes Streeting have been approached for comment.
[Further reading: How homeless children die]
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