Action Needed To Prevent People Losing Their Homes

New Government figures show that between 1 January and 31 March 2014 there were 27,310 applications to councils for help with homelessness. Whilst this represents a fall of 1% from the same period last year, just 46% of cases were accepted.  Using Cabinet Office costings of on-going homelessness support, the 12,520 accepted applications in this past quarter could have cost in excess of £33m. There are signs that a shortage of affordable accommodation could be adding to the problem; there has been a 36% rise in the number of households housed in another area and a 3% rise in those housed in temporary accommodation, whilst 27% of those accepted for help became homeless due to the ending of an assured shorthold tenancy.  Read more on the Homeless Link website.