The number of people living in temporary accommodation in England has hit a 25-year high, according to government data.
Figures released on Tuesday showed that 104,510 households were in temporary housing on March 31, up 10 per cent on a year before. The number surpassed the 101,070-household level hit in March 2005.
The figures published by the housing department showed big increases in nearly all measures of homelessness over the past year.
The sharp increase in those without secure homes reflects the effect of rising rents and mortgages, which have made housing unaffordable for many people and led to a growing numbers of evictions.
The rise in costs has put pressure on the government to take action in order to ease the housing shortage that has been widely blamed for exacerbating an increase in accommodation prices.
The proportion of households classed as homeless and needing urgent help climbed more than 20 per cent in the first three months of 2023, from the same period the year before, according to the statistics.
Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis, a housing charity, blamed the problem on the “crippling cost” of the government’s long-term failure to raise housing benefits in line with living costs.
He added that a “shameful lack” of social house building had compounded the desperation of many.
The figures came in the same week that the housing department announced plans to boost the number of new homes in England.
The department said on Tuesday that it was “determined” to prevent homelessness before it occurred and was working to improve the supply of social housing.
“We are committed to delivering 300,000 new homes per year and investing £11.5bn to build the affordable, quality homes this country needs,” the department said.
The figures covered a number of forms of homelessness, not only the small but most visible group of those who sleep rough on the streets. All the figures referred to households, defined as any group of people living in one home, from single people to large families.
One of the starkest changes was in the number of those falling under local authorities’ main homelessness duty — those unintentionally homeless, eligible for help and who had priority needs.
The number of households in that category was 13,670 in the first quarter, up 20.1 per cent from the same period last year, while those in bed and breakfast accommodation jumped 37.4 per cent to 13,780.
Downie said of the rising numbers in B&B: “Not only do people not have the stability and security of a home, but they’re often left to cope in just one room, with no facilities to cook meals or do washing.”
The housing department said the use of B&Bs was “always a last resort”.
Source: Economy - ft.com
