- English councils urge government action on rising homelessness, with 117,450 households in temporary housing by March 2024
- Families with children in temporary housing surged by 14.7%, with 151,630 children affected
- Councils demand increased funding, housing allowance adjustments, and long-term investment in social housing to address the crisis
Local governments have urged the government to act quickly to assist the growing number of people forced to rely on council-provided temporary housing.
A dramatic increase in the number of families living in temporary housing has caused English authorities to call on the government to address the homelessness crisis.
According to the most recent government figures, the total number of individuals living in temporary housing in England increased by 12.3% to a record 117,450 households in the year ending March 2024.
Families with children in temporary housing climbed by 14.7% in a year, reaching 74,530.
There were 151,630 youngsters residing in temporary housing at the end of March last year. That represents a 15% increase over the same period last year and the highest number since this measure began in 2004.
Meanwhile, single households climbed by 8.5%, reaching 42,920.
Councils are legally required to give emergency interim housing to homeless people while they hunt for a permanent solution.
Local governments receive some federal support for this. Still, many need financial help because they are forced to delve into their coffers, diverting funds from other areas or going into debt.
The District Councils’ Network, representing 169 English councils, has written to Housing Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, calling for the government to make financial modifications based on the most recent data.
Crisis, a homeless organization, and the Local Government Association, which represents local government, also signed the letter.
The cost of temporary housing for homeless persons in London has risen by 25% in the last year as landlords sell up or prefer private tenants.
They are also forced to stay in pricey and frequently substandard hotels and bed and breakfasts, a nationwide phenomenon.
This expense is putting some London authorities at risk of bankruptcy.
According to data released on Friday, private landlords filing eviction notices continue to be a primary cause of Homelessness.
A total of 45.5% (17,480) of households at risk of Homelessness were in the private leased sector, a 2% reduction over last year.
Overall, 6,630 families received eviction notices, a 1.2% increase.
The District Councils’ Network letter, sent on Thursday, states that the financial burden on councils is “unsustainable,” many English councils currently spend between 20% and 50% of their total net budget on temporary accommodation.
According to the report, district councils’ spending on temporary accommodation has “skyrocketed” by more than 200% in the last five years.
According to the most recent available data, £1.74 billion was spent on temporary housing in the fiscal year ending March 2023, a 9% increase over the previous year.
With more accommodation needed this year and rising costs, spending will have increased even further.
Calls to modify financing.
According to Charity Crisis, financial pressures limit the local government’s ability to avoid Homelessness since resources are diverted to crisis assistance rather than preventative efforts.
The new statistics also revealed that the most common reason homeless people owed a duty by councils need assistance was due to mental health issues, with 22,500, or 26%, experiencing such problems.
The letter has urged the government to:
- Commit to increasing Local Housing Allowance rates annually to stay up with private rentals.
- Remove the housing benefit subsidy cap (currently frozen at 2011 rates), which limits the amount councils may collect from the government for temporary accommodation.
- Commit to long-term investment to deliver 100,000 houses annually for social rent over the next 15 years.
- Establish a significant capital pool to allow authorities to quickly create or acquire inexpensive housing for persons in danger of Homelessness.
- Establish a Unit for Ending Homelessness with specific goals and enough long-term funding.
The letter stated: “Without immediate and decisive action, we fear that more councils will be forced to slash essential preventative services, creating a vicious cycle that will further exacerbate Homelessness and increase public expenses.
Half-measures are no longer acceptable; a paradigm shift is required to move resources from managing Homelessness to preventing it altogether.
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Ms Rayner stated: “We are seeing the most severe housing crisis in living memory, and Homelessness remains at all-time highs. This is nothing short of a nationwide scandal.
Urgent action is required to resolve this issue. We are collaborating with government and local leaders to create a long-term strategy to end Homelessness for good.
Work has already begun to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place.
This includes the most significant increase in social and affordable home building in a decade, the abolition of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, and a multi-million-pound package to provide housing for families most in danger of Homelessness.
Mungo, a homeless charity, reported that 70% of homeless people recently served by its teams stated mental health caused them anguish or hampered their recovery.
A representative stated that not knowing where your next meal will come from or if you will have a roof over your head in the evening can create significant tension and anxiety.
However, poor mental health might prevent people from accessing resources that can help them get out of Homelessness, particularly mental health support.
We believe that homelessness and mental health treatment must be linked, and we will continue to collaborate with the government and local governments to explore comprehensive solutions.
