HOMELESSNESS
A quarter of a million people are homeless and councils are battling a ‘perfect storm’ as they try to keep up
Nearly a quarter of a million households across England are experiencing the worst forms of homelessness and councils are struggling to keep up with demand, Crisis has warned.
The homelessness charity laid bare how ill-equipped local authorities are to help households facing homelessness on the street, sofa surfing at friends’ or relatives’ places, or staying in B&Bs. Nearly every local authority in England (97%) said they have struggled to find private rented accommodation for people experiencing homelessness.
More councils than ever before reported they are facing an increase in people experiencing homelessness, while their stock of temporary accommodation, such as B&Bs, is “running out”.
Crisis estimated that the number of households living in unsuitable temporary accommodation has tripled over the past 10 years. The charity warned an estimated 49,500 households could be homeless and living in these conditions by 2041.
“The homelessness system is at breaking point. Temporary accommodation should be a short-term emergency measure yet, as the report shows, it is increasingly becoming the default solution for many councils,” said Matt Downie, chief executive at Crisis.
A spokesperson for the Local Government Association said: “Increasingly complex homelessness pressures, combined with depleting social housing stock and an unaffordable private rented sector feels like a perfect storm for already stretched council services.”
In numbers
…and things are no better in Scotland
The latest official figures released last week showed homelessness hit
