Homeless Households In Temporary Accommodation Continue To Rise

Latest Government figures show that the number of homeless households living in temporary accommodation continue to rise. On 31 December 2017 the number of households living in temporary accommodation was 78,930 - up 4% from 75,740 on 31 December 2016 and up by 64% on the low of 48,010 on 31 December 2010. However, the number of households accepted as being statutorily homeless in the quarter to 31 December 2017 was down 11% from 15,280 on the previous quarter and down 5% from 14,420 in the same quarter of 2016. See the full figures on the GovUK website.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/692938/Statutory_Homelessness_and_Prevention_and_Relief_Statistical_Release_Oct_to_Dec_2017.pdf

Households In Temporary Accommodation Up Again

Latest figures from the CLG show that 78,180 households were living in temporary accommodation on 30 June 2017 (these households included 120,170 children or expected children). This is up 7% on a year earlier, and up 63% on the low of 48,010 at 31 December 2010.  Between 1 April and 30 June 2017 local authorities accepted 14,400 households as being statutorily homeless - i.e. households owed a statutory duty to secure accommodation as a result of being unintentionally homeless and deemed to be in priority need. This was down by 1% on the previous quarter and down 5% on the same quarter last year. Local authorities also took action to prevent and relieve some 54,270 households between 1 April and 30 June 2017. Read more on the ARCH website.

Number Of Homeless In Temporary Accommodation Up 61%

“Worrying” homelessness statistics show that the number of households accepted by local authorities as statutory homeless is on the rise. The data reveals that between 1 January and 31 March 2017 local authorities accepted 14,600 households as being statutorily homeless, up 1% on the previous quarter and down 1% on the same quarter last year. Households in temporary accommodation on 31 March 2017 was 77,240, up 8% on a year earlier, and up 61% on the low of 48,010 on 31 December 2010. There were 6,590 households living in bed and breakfast (B&B) accommodation, an increase of 11% from 5,960 as at 31 March 2016. Of these 3,010 (46%) had dependent or expected children. Read more on Welfare Weekly.

Homelessness Bill Passes As Temporary Accommodation Numbers Rise

The Homelessness Reduction Bill cleared its third and final reading in the House of Lords – as new figures confirm the number of households in temporary accommodation in England rose by 10% over the course of 2016 to 75,740 up 58% on the low of 48,010 on 31 December 2010. The CLG figures confirm councils accepted 14,420 households as being statutorily homeless between October-December last year – down 3% on the previous quarter and down 0.4% on the same quarter of last year. These are households that are owed a main homelessness duty to secure accommodation as a result of being unintentionally homeless and in priority need. Read more on 24housing.

Let Us Build More Homes To Help Us Tackle Homelessness

If councils are to be fully empowered to tackle homelessness then they must be allowed to build more homes, the Local Government Association (LGA), has suggested. The organisation, which represents local authorities in England, was responding to the publication yesterday of the latest official figures on statutory homelessness – showing a 6% in the October to December 2015 quarter over the same period a year before.  Read more on the Housing Excellence website.

Defining The Problem: How Do We Count Britain's Homeless?

For the thousands of people who are sleeping on the streets or are in temporary accommodation, winter is one of the hardest times of the year. Being able to provide relief during this period depends, at least in part, on understanding how many people are affected by homelessness – and who they are. In the UK, a person is legally defined as homeless if they have accommodation but can’t reasonably be expected to occupy it, or if they don’t have any accommodation at all. But the first thing to know is that there’s a big difference between the number of people who the state recognises as homeless and how many people actually are. This is known as the distinction between the “statutory” homeless, and the “non-statutory” or “single” homeless.  Read more on the City Metric website.

Youth Homelessness Figure Eight Times Higher Than Government Admits

The full extent of youth homelessness is more than eight times higher than the Government admits, according to a new report. Some 136,000 young people aged between 16 and 24 in England and Wales sought emergency housing in the past year. In stark contrast, only 16,000 young people were officially classed as “statutory homeless” – which would mean councils had a legal duty to house them. Worryingly, some 30,000 of those seeking help were turned away with little if any support. And as many as 90,000 were only offered support such as family mediation, to help them stay at home, or debt advice. This means the vast majority of those going for help are not getting the full assistance they’d be entitled to if they were officially accepted as being homeless. Download the report from the Centrepoint website.