Record 159,000 children homeless in temporary accommodation – up 15% in a year

Record 159,000 children homeless in temporary accommodation – up 15% in a year

Shelter launches Urgent Appeal to help it support families facing homelessness this winter

New government statutory homelessness figures released today reveal yet another shocking record, with 159,380 children now homeless and living in temporary accommodation - a 15% increase in a year and the highest figure since records began in 2004.

The number of households living in temporary accommodation has also hit another record 123,100, up 16% on last year.

The data reflects the increasing pressure councils are facing to rehouse households who become homeless, as rents continue to skyrocket and genuinely affordable social homes are becoming increasingly scarce. One in three households (32% or almost 39,000) in temporary accommodation are now placed out of area – up by 39% from a year ago. More and more families are being placed in accommodation miles away from their support networks, jobs and children's schools.

The figures also show that there are 9,550 families with children stuck in B&Bs and hostels. Government rules say families should only be put in B&B accommodation as a last resort and only for a maximum of six weeks. B&Bs and hostels are considered some of the worst type of temporary accommodation as families are often cramped into one room, forced to share kitchens and bathrooms with strangers and where children have no space to play and are unable to have friends over. Sadly, this accommodation is far from temporary, with separate government data showing one in five families (21%) in B&Bs and hostels have been there for over a year.

As homelessness continues to soar, Shelter’s frontline services are working tirelessly to support and provide vital advice to the thousands of families without a safe and secure home this winter. Today, the charity has launched an Urgent Appeal calling for donations from the public to help it continue to be there for families.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Year after year, we’re seeing the devastating toll the housing emergency is taking on families and communities with more than 159,000 children being subjected to the trauma of homelessness.

“A grim homeless hostel or mouldy studio flat with your entire family living on top of each other is no place for any child to grow up. Toddlers have no space to play while teenagers have to share beds with their siblings, and parents spend sleepless nights worrying they will be moved miles away from family and their jobs, at the drop of a hat.

“The only way to give every child a permanent home is for the government to build 90,000 genuinely affordable social homes a year. Until that happens, Shelter will be here to provide expert housing advice and support. As thousands of families face homelessness this winter, we need the public’s support more than ever to help us do this vital work.”

Ronesha, 30, and her two children aged 11 and 14 lost their home due to a Section 21 no-fault eviction in August. They were placed in a double B&B room in Ilford with a folding bed and a kitchen they had to share with strangers for seven weeks. Eventually they were moved to a different homeless accommodation, but now live in fear they could be moved again with no notice.

Ronesha said: “I had to wait until 4pm on the day of the eviction to know where me and my children were going to go. We were placed in a tiny hostel room where we had to share a kitchen with strangers and only had a kettle in the room. We had a folding bed and a mattress in the room to share.

“Being homeless has had a detrimental impact on my children’s wellbeing and caused me distress. My youngest son has complex medical needs and being placed in a cramped space for seven weeks made him claustrophobic. He has diabetes so needs balanced meals, which he didn’t have access to as we didn’t have cooking facilities. My eldest has just started his GCSEs but his attendance has dropped due to our housing situation.

“I feel completely ignored because none of my children’s needs have been taken into account. I need to stay in my home or surrounding area because I need the support of my family and friends, and my son can’t move schools because of his special needs, but I’m worried I might be moved overnight to a new accommodation. It’s disgusting that we’ve been put in this situation.”

To donate to Shelter’s Urgent Appeal, visit www.shelter.org.uk/winterappeal.

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