- Record Number of Individuals Living in Temporary Housing in England
- Housing Crisis Worsens as Temporary Accommodation Hits 25-Year High
- Rising Homelessness and Soaring Rents Contribute to Housing System Challenges
The number of individuals living in temporary housing in England has reached its highest level in 25 years, according to the most recent official statistics.
On 31 March of this year, nearly 105,000 households, including more than 131,000 children, were living in temporary housing.
According to data from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities, this number is 10% higher than it was on the same date in the prior year.
In Plymouth, a hotel-dwelling mother described her confined living conditions.
This number surpasses the previous high of 101,300, which was reached in 2004, and is the highest since records began in 1998.
In the three months before March, nearly 14,000 households resided in hotels or bed and breakfasts, according to the data.
System ‘damaged’
Earlier this month, we observed several homeless families conversing while seated in front of a hotel in Plymouth.
Chantelle Walton was the busiest, caring for her two children.
Five-week-old Jack has never left his hotel room with his parents and 17-month-old sister, Lily.
Four months ago, the family became destitute after receiving a Section 21 notice, also known as a no-fault eviction.
The 21-year-old explains, “It’s very challenging.” “He wakes up crying for a bottle, which wakes her up, and she thinks it’s morning and gets up.”
Their accommodation is equipped with a small refrigerator and microwave “so we can sterilize his bottles.” Due to a lack of cooking facilities, they and dozens of other hotel families often eat out.
Even though her companion is a full-time engineer, their age is working against them, according to Chantelle: “Because we’re so young, no one will hire us without a guarantor, and we don’t have one.
There are currently more than 200 families residing in hotels and B&Bs in Plymouth, and the local council estimates that it will spend £6.8 million supporting them this year, which is approximately ten times the amount it spent five years ago.
“The entire system is broken,” says Chris Penberthy, the housing committee chair.
“There are not enough affordable housing units for those in need. In the past three years, our waiting list has grown from 8,000 to 12,500 people.
This means that when individuals are in temporary housing, there is nowhere for them to move to, and therefore there is nowhere for bed and breakfast residents to move to.
Escalating rentals
Age-related homeless households increased 33.3% in the year before to March 31st.
According to campaigners, the problem stems from a dearth of housing, which has been exacerbated by ministers’ decision to freeze local housing allowance rates for the past three years.
This decision has rendered much of the country untenable for any household requiring housing assistance to help pay rent. While in many areas, landlords are exiting the market.
Dorothy Dawson has rented out her Devon home for the past 16 years but has recently decided to sell it, citing government plans to prohibit no-fault evictions in England and escalating costs.
“My investment property mortgage will triple. The council tax between tenants has increased, as have the standing charges for utilities. “It is not worth it,” she declares.
