Shelter says 309,000 people will spend Christmas homeless – as it unveils fundraising campaign

At least 309,000 people in England will spend Christmas without a home, including nearly 140,000 children – which Shelter says is an ‘outrage’ as it launches a new fundraising drive.

Shelter is a campaigning charity offering advice and information to tenants and pushes for policy changes by the government.

It doesn’t provide homes for those at risk of losing theirs or are living on the street.

The charity blames ‘skyrocketing’ private rents and a lack of social housing being built for leaving vulnerable people in ‘grotty hostels’ and ‘cramped bedsits’.

‘Homelessness is on nobody’s Christmas list’

The charity’s chief executive, Polly Neate, said: “Homelessness is on nobody’s Christmas list, but 309,000 people will spend this time of year in a tiny hostel room or freezing in a doorway.

“The housing emergency is out of control. Chronic underinvestment in social homes has left people unable to afford skyrocketing private rents and plunged record numbers into homelessness.”

She added: “It is appalling that the government has allowed thousands of families to be packed into damp and dirty B&B’s and hostel rooms, which are traumatising children and making people desperately ill.

“Until the government takes this emergency seriously, our frontline services will do everything they can to help people keep or find a safe home this winter.

“It is only with the public’s support that we can continue to provide vital advice and support and fight for the solutions people want and need to end homelessness.”

Homeless figure has increased by 14%

Shelter says the homeless figure has increased by 14%, or 38,100 people, in one year and after analysing official homelessness figures, it also says that one in 182 people in England are currently homeless.

The charity’s research shows homelessness has risen rapidly in just 12 months: over 3,000 people are sleeping rough on any given night (a 26% increase) and 279,400 are living in temporary accommodation (a 14% increase) – most of whom are families.

There are also 20,000 people in hostels or supported accommodation.

Families who are homeless

The government’s figures reveal that almost half (47%) of families who are homeless in temporary accommodation have been there for more than two years.

Councils have a legal duty to house families and people who are vulnerable, but the acute shortage of affordable homes means they are having to rely on temporary accommodation for long periods.

Shelters says that the housing emergency is leaving families stuck for months in poor accommodation and often having to share beds with no, or inadequate, cooking and laundry facilities.

It also warns that those not entitled to accommodation may end up on the streets, sofa-surfing or in dangerous living conditions.

Share This Article