320,000 People In Britain Are Now Homeless
Brand new analysis from Shelter reveals that 320,000 people are recorded as homeless, as numbers rise again. This figure lays bare the true scale of Britain’s worsening housing crisis, despite repeated Government pledges to tackle the problem.
In the last year, the overall number increased by 13,000 people. This means one in every 200 people in Britain are homeless and sleeping on the streets or stuck in temporary accommodation, including hostels and B&Bs.
Shelter has launched an urgent appeal calling on the public to support its frontline advisers as they work to help the growing number of people trying to find or keep their home.
In its annual landmark review, the housing charity combined official rough-sleeping, temporary accommodation and social services figures. As these records are not definitive, the true extent of homelessness is likely even greater.
London reported the highest levels of homelessness, with almost 170,000 people or one in 52 without a place to call home. Plenty of areas outside the capital are feeling the impact of the housing crisis too, including Brighton (1 in 67), Birmingham (1 in 73) and Manchester (1 in 135). Shelter’s report ‘Homelessness in Great Britain: the numbers behind the story’ warns this is due to a combination unaffordable rents, frozen housing benefits and a severe shortage of social housing.
On Merseyside, the figures reveal:
- Liverpool: 33rough sleepers; 181 homeless people currently living in temporary accommodation.
- Wirra:l 14rough sleepers; 66 people classed as living in temporary accommodation.
- Knowsley: zerorough sleepers; 51 people classed as homeless and in temporary accommodation.
- St Helens: 9rough sleepers; 101 people classed as homeless in temporary accommodation.
- Sefton: 9rough sleepers in the borough and 40 homeless people in temporary shelter.
However, a number of people contested the figures, claiming that they regularly see larger numbers of people on Liverpool’s streets. Posting on Facebook, Jack Back said: “33 homeless people in Liverpool? That figure is rubbish because travelling home from work in the early hours of the morning I see more than that sleeping in shop doorways just in a few streets.” Lee Newcomb agreed, stating: “Walk through town early morning. It’s shocking the number of homeless. More than 33 and its rising.”
Polly Neate, CEO of Shelter said: “It’s unforgivable that 320,000 people in Britain have been swept up by the housing crisis and now have no place to call home. These new figures show that homelessness is having a devastating impact on the lives of people right across the country.”
“Due to the perfect storm of spiralling rents, welfare cuts and a total lack of social housing, record numbers of people are sleeping out on the streets or stuck in the cramped confines of a hostel room. We desperately need action now to change tomorrow for the hundreds of thousands whose lives will be blighted by homelessness this winter.”=
“Shelter’s services have never been more needed. That’s why we’re asking the public to support us this winter so that we can answer as many calls as possible and have trained advisers on hand when people need them most.”
To support Shelter’s urgent appeal please visit www.shelter.org.uk or text SHELTER to 70020 to donate £3.
