New homelessness statistics – Grenfell tragedy sheds light on our housing crisis

New government figures on homelessness released today show:

• In the last year alone, 59,090 households were accepted as homeless by their local council – a rise of 17% over the last 5 years

• A further 199,630 cases were at risk of homelessness and sought help through the council

• 1 in 4 households stay in temporary accommodation for more than a year before being rehoused and a shocking 1,290 families spend more than the six-week legal limit living in B&B’s

“The Grenfell Tower tragedy has left people without a home and living in a dire situation, it has also thrust the issue of homelessness into the spotlight. While Shelter is calling for those affected to be placed in good quality temporary accommodation nearby, and hope officials make good on their promise to do so, we know many local authorities simply don't have enough affordable accommodation for those on low incomes. It's a similar story across all London boroughs and the country more widely, so it’s no surprise that today's homelessness stats reveal the problem is getting worse nationally, with more households becoming homeless every year.

Anne Baxendale, director of communications, policy and campaigns at Shelter, said:

“Many of the families that come to Shelter for advice say the benefit cap is pushing them into homelessness. Many desperately want to work but can't make up the required hours of work a week due to childcare issues or insecure work like zero hours contracts. That's why we're pleased today's high court judgment, which Shelter provided evidence for, has found that the cap discriminates against lone parents with children under two. In the words of the judge, ‘real misery is being caused to no good purpose.’ We are calling on the government to scrap the cap immediately, before it pushes even more people into homelessness.”