Councils Struggle To Find Homes For 40% Of People Since Introduction Of Homelessness Reduction Act

Nearly 40% of people who approached their council to secure housing since the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act (HRA) ended up in a worse or similar position, a new report by Crisis has found. Based on 984 surveys and 89 in-depth interviews, the report found that 373 individuals (38%) who approached their councils for help since the introduction of the HRA in 2017 either remained without housing or saw themselves moving from being housed to sleeping rough or sofa-surfing. Of those who said that their housing situation did not improve, 66% were single and 45% were single men. Download the report from the Crisis website.

https://www.crisis.org.uk/ending-homelessness/homelessness-knowledge-hub/services-and-interventions/a-foot-in-the-door-experiences-of-the-homelessness-reduction-act-2020/

One-Third Of Homeless Sofa-Surfing Forced To Do So For Over Six Months

A third of homeless people who are sofa-surfing in the UK have been doing so for more than six months, according to research from Crisis. Figures from the charity estimate there are 71,400 sofa-surfers across the country – making it the largest form of homelessness. The analysis comes amid a deepening national crisis, with the number of households considered newly homeless or at risk of becoming so rising by 11.4% across England in the past year alone, according to government data. Read more on the Guardian website.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/23/one-third-of-homeless-sofa-surfing-forced-to-do-so-for-over-six-months

Report Reveals Scale of Acute Homelessness in Britain

Nearly 160,000 households, estimated at just under a quarter of a million people, are experiencing the worst forms of homelessness across Britain, with rough sleeping forecast to rise by 76 per cent in the next decade unless the governments in Westminster, Scotland and Wales take long-term action to tackle it. This is according to new expert analysis conducted for Crisis by Heriot-Watt University providing the most complete picture to-date of the worst forms of homelessness, including rough sleeping and sofa surfing, as well as 25-year forecasts for each category across England, Wales and Scotland. Read more on the Crisis website.

Over 120,000 Children Will Wake Up Homeless This Christmas

Over 120,000 children in Britain face spending Christmas homeless and in temporary accommodation, the highest level recorded since 2007. The number of families living in emergency B&B and hostel rooms has risen by a worrying 18% in just a year. Shelter carried out in-depth interviews with 25 families currently or recently living in emergency B&B’s, hostels or sofa-surfing. Findings included:

·         Over 75% of families said they felt their accommodation was unsafe

·         Every family lived in a single room without any space for the children to play

·         60% had to share toilet and bathroom facilities

·         More than 67% said their room was in a state of disrepair, including mould, broken beds and stained mattresses

Read more on the Shelter blog.

Homelessness Crisis: Ministers Consider 'Prevention Duty' For Councils

Ministers are considering changes to the law in an attempt to support the growing number of people on the brink of homelessness, including tens of thousands of “sofa surfers” currently denied official help to keep them off the streets. Options include introducing a new duty of prevention in England, which would force councils to provide advice and support for anyone at risk of homelessness, regardless of whether they are deemed to be in priority need under existing laws. The mooted “no one turned away” duty would give all residents who are homeless or at imminent risk of losing their home the right to practical help to prevent them losing a tenancy or secure new accommodation. Read more on the Guardian website.

Single Homeless People Blocked From Housing Help

Nearly six in 10 single homeless people approaching council housing services are turned away after receiving limited or no help, a report has shown. A mystery shopping exercise by homelessness charity Crisis covering 16 local authorities across England found that many homeless people are forced to sleep on the streets, ‘sofa surf’ or live in squats despite seeking help. Out of the 87 council visits made by the Crisis shoppers, 50 (57%) received little or no help. Download a copy of the report from the Crisis website.