'Hidden Homelessness' Problem Could Be Ten Times Worse Than The Government Says

The problem of families put in precarious, temporary accommodation when they are at risk of sleeping rough could be nearly ten times worse than the Government says, a new report has revealed. The charity JustLife Foundation has warned of a trend of “hidden homelessness” as it estimates around 51,500 households were living in B&Bs  in England in 2015/16. The Government says the total was just 5,870. JustLife said the Government’s figures only recorded people living in “official” homeless accommodation. Read more on the Huffington Post website.

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/hidden-homelessness-temporary-accommodation_uk_5adf121ee4b036e7aeb62dbb

Lone Women Parents Most Likely To Suffer ‘Hidden Homelessness’

Growing numbers of women in England are experiencing ‘hidden homelessness’ – living in precarious arrangements without privacy or their own legal living space – according to new research. Women’s homelessness is a major social problem in the UK, with the latest figures revealing that from 1998 – 2015, 1,475,150 households were registered as homeless in England. Approximately 995,360 of these households were homeless families (as opposed to single occupant households) and/or had a pregnant woman living in them. Of these homeless families, some 65% are said to be lone women parents, amounting to approximately 647,000 lone women parents and their children. Read more on 24housing.

Rise In Number Of 'Hidden' Rural Rough Sleepers

According to the latest Government figures, the estimated number of rough sleepers has risen by 14% in the UK, with 2,744 people sleeping on the streets on any one night. The South West is one of the areas outside London believed to have seen the biggest increases, with charities noting a lack of housing and high rents have led to a growing number of people sleeping rough in rural locations. The reasons behind people sleeping rough in the countryside differ - some want to disappear, others feel safer sleeping there than in urban areas. Despite the reported rise in rural rough sleepers, charities warn the hidden nature of the problem means it is easy for those affected to drop off the radar. Read more on the Sky website.

Homelessness in England Reaches Five-Year High

Government figures show that the number of homeless households in England has risen by 6% over the past year, to the highest in five years. The figures also show a 14% rise in the number of people living in B&Bs. B&B-style accommodation often means a single room for an entire family with no cooking facilities and a shared bathroom, sometimes miles away from their jobs and support networks. Though there is a legal requirement limiting this to six weeks for families, many have to stay in this situation for weeks, or even months. Shelter is also worried that today’s figures mask a further group of ‘hidden homeless’; families who have lost their home but may not be counted in official statistics due to recent changes in the way councils handle homelessness applications  Read more on the Shelter website.