Five year high for homeless families in temporary accommodation
- 26 Sep
Official figures show the number of households accepted as homeless by English councils has dropped by 2% this year.
Statistics from the Department for Communities and Local Government reveal 13,140 households were accepted as homeless between April and June this year, which is 2% lower than during the same quarter last year, reports Inside Housing.
However the number of homeless families in temporary accommodation stood at 59,710 at the end of June which is 6% higher than the same date last year and is a record high for five years.
Melanie Rees, policy services manager at the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), said that despite the drop in homeless applications, there was "a disturbing picture of suffering for increasing numbers of vulnerable people behind that headline figure".
The most frequent reason for people being made homeless was due to the end of a private tenancy. The ending of a private tenancy has been the most frequent reason for homelessness for the last consecutive nine quarters.
There was a 6% increase in households living in bed and breakfasts to 4,600, and the number of families with children living in such accommodation rose by 2% to 2,130 at the end of June this year.
Gill Payne, director of policy and external affairs at the National Housing Federation, said: "This shocking rise in the number of families stuck in emergency housing is down to our desperate shortage of affordable homes. It's completely unacceptable that we have thousands of people living in so-called temporary housing, including B&Bs, that are expensive, often in poor condition and offer no stability from which to rebuild their lives."
Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said: "Behind every one of these shocking statistics stands a person or a family who's gone through the tragedy of losing their home. And what's more worrying is that we know these figures are only the tip of the iceberg."
Jacqui McCluskey, director of policy and communications for Homeless Link, said: "The fact that so many people are being placed in temporary accommodation should send another clear signal that there is a desperate shortage of homes that are genuinely affordable to those in greatest need. The alternative of housing people in accommodation like B&Bs is not only unsafe, but is also expensive to taxpayers."
What do you think of this? Tweet us your comments @suppsolutions
Image source: http://www.freeimages.com/photo/707084
Related articles
- 11 Sep
New service to support homeless people in Birmingham
A new dedicated Homeless Street Triage car will be responding to the rising number of calls reporting homelessness, begging and anti-social drinking in the city, reports 24dash.In the last year –...
- 09 Sep
Gym in Kent hopes to improve health and fitness of homeless people
Riverside is a specialist in working with single homeless people to help them get their lives back on track and into accommodation. Their new project, a gymnasium, has been funded by the Riverside...
- 08 Sep
The cost of homelessness in Hackney doubles
Figures have shown that the cost of homelessness in 2009/10 was £3,092,255 compared to £7,167,440 in 2014/15, with a cut on staff spending from £3,239,653 to £2,608,491 reports 24dash.Hackney...
- 04 Sep
Two homelessness services to be investigated
The Scottish Housing Regulator is set to investigate every aspect of services offered by Dumfries and Galloway Council, whilst also examining how homeless people access help and support at Scottish...
- 03 Sep
Homeless project for young people under threat due to cuts
Platform for Life was expected to attract interest from numerous housing associations with its scheme to convert properties into accommodation for young people in further education, training or work,...
- 01 Sep
Charities warns Irish government of homelessness crisis
Social Justice Ireland is calling for a new funding system that will meet the demand and reveal that only 20 council homes for families have been completed within the first three months of this year,...
- 26 Aug
Newspaper office to become a centre for homeless people
The old office for the Doncaster Free Press is being transformed into flats and other facilities for people who are homeless, reports Hold the Front Page. The building is being turned into...
- 20 Aug
Cuts leaving people in Cheltenham needing homelessness support
Bosses at CCP and Cheltenham Borough Council have said the “devastating impact” of benefit cuts in the town are causing issues for many people, report the Gloucestershire Echo.Over the past few...
- 19 Aug
Concern that homelessness in Cambridge is at ‘tipping point’
Not only do figures show a rise in quarterly numbers by 24 households, they also reveal that over 350 cases were placed in temporary accommodation over the last year, which was a rise of 50 cases on...
- 11 Aug
Charities say Wales is “setting an example” for homelessness
A joint report by Crisis and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has praised Welsh laws that are trying to address the issues of homelessness, reports the BBC.However they warn that the removal of...
Responding to the DWP Consultation: Housing Benefit Reform - Supported Housing "Found the seminar very informative and gave an interesting and full insight into current thinking about the consultation. Michael was a very engaging and knowledgeable presenter and encouraged interaction with the audience which led to further relevant points being shared with the room. I shall certinaly look out for future events!" M.E. - Care Housing Association
