Children And Pensioners ‘Bearing The Brunt’ Of Homelessness

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The number of homeless children and older people in temporary accommodation has reached the highest level since the global financial crisis in 2007, government figures show.

A total of 123,130 children were housed in temporary accommodation in England in the first quarter of 2018, an increase of nearly 80% since 2011. The number of people accepted as homeless over the age of 60 has increased by 40% in the last year, reaching 2,520. There has also been a significant rise in the number of homeless single parents.

According to a report in The Guardian, campaigners have blamed government welfare cuts, lack of affordable housing and rising rents for the growing number of homeless people housed in temporary accommodation by the state. They also warned that elderly people are “bearing the brunt” of the housing crisis after official data revealed the figure has surged by 115 per cent in eight years. A total of 2,520 over-60s were recorded as being homeless by their local council in the past year, compared with 1,170 in 2009-10. Some will be in temporary accommodation, but others will be sofa surfing and sleeping on the streets.

There has also been a sharp rise in the number of single parent families who are homeless or living in temporary accommodation, with the figure now standing at 38,390 – an increase of 54% in the past five years. The data shows lone parent families are disproportionality affected by homelessness, accounting for 63% of all families living in temporary accommodation, despite making up just 23 per cent of all families in England.

Rough sleeping in England increased for a seventh consecutive year in 2017, reaching 4,751 people, although the true figure is believed to be much higher. Rough sleepers in London accounted for almost a quarter of the national figure last year, but substantial rises were recorded in Greater Manchester, Oxford, Swindon, Hastings and Peterborough.

Responding to the new figures, John Healey, the shadow housing secretary, said the “shocking” rise in homelessness since 2010 should “shame Conservative ministers”. He continued: “Homelessness fell at an unprecedented rate under Labour, but after eight years of failure on housing under the Tories, 123,000 children are now without a home. This is a direct result of Conservative decisions: a steep drop in investment for affordable homes, cuts to housing benefit, reduced funding for homelessness services, and a refusal to help private renters.”

However, the homelessness minister, Nigel Adams, disputed this, saying: “Everyone deserves a safe and secure place to live. We’re investing £1.2bn to support those who are homeless and have brought in the most ambitious legislation in decades to help prevent people at risk of homelessness.”

“There are encouraging signs that this concerted action is beginning to make a difference – homelessness acceptances are down 6% on the same quarter last year and fewer vulnerable people, including children, are in B&Bs. But it’s clear we have more to do.”