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England

91 families made homeless every day in England

Posted 28 Oct 2021

Today, the government released new figures on homelessness in England for the period April to June 2021. These figures include data for the first month after the ban in evictions was lifted at the end of May. They show:

  • 91 families became homeless each day as lockdown restrictions lifted.
    Since the start of the pandemic a total of 183,290 households have been tipped into homelessness.

  • Between April and June, 20,850 families approached their local council and were found to be homeless or at risk of homelessness – despite the eviction ban being in place for most of the period.

  • 16,210 homeless households were placed into emergency B&Bs and hostels, where conditions are notoriously overcrowded and poor, with families sharing facilities like bathrooms.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Since the pandemic erupted, more than 180,000 households have been thrown into homelessness and a desperately uncertain future.

“With 91 families becoming homeless every single day, the Chancellor missed a vital opportunity to deal with the biggest bill people face – their rent. The government’s failure to invest in truly affordable social homes means far too many children will have to call a grimy hostel room “home” for the foreseeable.

“While the government’s benefits support for people in work will provide a vital lifeline for some, it won’t help everyone in need. The months ahead are going to be very hard with soaring food and energy prices on top of extortionate and rising rents. If struggling families are to stand a chance at recovery, the government has to build decent social homes - it is the only solution to homelessness that will last.”

Anyone who is facing homelessness can get free and expert advice from Shelter by visiting www.shelter.org.uk/get_help or by calling our emergency helpline on 0808 800 4444.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

  • 20,850 families approached their local council and were found to be homeless or at risk of homelessness between April and June 2021. This is available at: MHCLG, Live tables on homelessness, Statutory Homelessness Live Tables, Table A1

  • The number of families who became homeless per day in the last quarter is calculated by dividing the total number of days from 1st April to 30th June (91) by the number of families with children that were owed a relief duty in the same period. 8,250 families were owed a relief duty from April to June 2021. This is available at MHCLG, Statutory Homelessness Live tables, Initial assessments of statutory homelessness duties owed, Table A1

  • The number of households who have been tipped into homelessness since the start of the pandemic includes all households who have been owed a relief duty since April 2020 (183,290). A small number of households may be double counted across quarters where an initial decision was subject to review or where a household has made a new application. These figures are available at MHCLG, Statutory Homelessness Live tables, Initial assessments of statutory homelessness duties owed, Table A2R.

  • 10,260 households living in temporary accommodation on 30th June 2021 were living in bed and breakfasts and 5,950 were living in hostels. This is available at: MHCLG, Live tables on homelessness, Statutory Homelessness Live Tables, Table TA1.

About Shelter: Shelter exists to defend the right to a safe home and fight the devastating impact the housing emergency has on people and society. Shelter believes that home is everything. Learn more at www.shelter.org.uk.