Homelessness In London Soars By 38%

Homelessness in London has shot up 38 per cent amid multi-million-pound cuts to town hall grants for preventing rough sleeping. The House of Commons Library data shows the number of households accepted as homeless by all London boroughs rose from 12,720 in 2011/12 to 17,530 in 2014/15 — up 38 per cent. The rise is 12 per cent from the 2012/13 figure of 15,660. Meanwhile Whitehall has slashed the Homeless Prevention Grant given to London town halls by £5,171,000 since 2012. Outer London boroughs are hard-hit, with Barking and Dagenham’s grant down 31 per cent, Bromley 21 per cent, Greenwich 31 per cent and Haringey 21 per cent, all above-average cuts. Lewisham had a 27 per cent reduction. Read more on the Evening Standard website.