A record number of homeless children in England are now living in temporary accommodation, reaching the highest levels in the past 20 years. Recent official data revealed that by the end of June, 172,420 children were residing in temporary homes like B&Bs and hostels, marking a significant increase of 13,110 compared to the previous year’s figures.
This surge in numbers, surpassing 170,000 for the first time since 2004, has been deemed a “national disgrace” by advocacy groups. The Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government’s latest report also indicated that a total of 132,410 families are currently in temporary accommodation.
Among them, 3,340 households with children are accommodated in B&Bs, while 3,590 are in hostels. Additionally, 33,530 families with kids are residing in privately managed nightly paid accommodations. Shelter, a housing charity, attributes these alarming statistics to the severe shortage of social housing for rent and inadequate benefit levels that contribute to families being trapped in homelessness.
Shelter is urging the government to address the crisis by unfreezing local housing allowances in the upcoming Autumn Budget and setting ambitious targets for the construction of social rent homes. They propose aiming for 90,000 new social rent homes annually for the next decade to effectively combat homelessness.
Mairi MacRae, Director of Campaigns and Policy at Shelter, expressed deep concern, emphasizing the dire conditions faced by families stuck in inadequate temporary housing. These families endure harsh living conditions, exacerbated by isolation from their communities and support networks.
The situation has prompted various voices to speak out, with Jess McQuail from Just Fair campaign group labeling the figures as a disgrace, highlighting the individual stories behind each statistic. John Glenton, Chief Care and Support Officer at Riverside, emphasized the urgent need for funding to address the humanitarian crisis unfolding, pointing out the closure of vital services due to financial constraints.
The current state of affairs underscores the pressing need for comprehensive and sustainable solutions to address the escalating homelessness crisis affecting vulnerable children and families across England.