Homeless Helpline Highlights Housing Crisis

The number of desperate families brought to the brink of homelessness has risen so far this year, one of the country’s leading housing charities has said.

Emergency calls to a special helpline run by Shelter increased by 8% in 2018, compared with the same period last year. Some 44% of the phone calls were estimated to be from an adult with at least one child, reports Huffington Post online. Many of those who sought Shelter’s support had received an eviction notice, fallen into rent arrears, suffered domestic abuse or were living in homes with disrepair so severe it posed a risk to life.

Someone is at risk of homelessness if they are homeless from that night, at risk within the next 28 days, or at risk of homelessness but not within the next 28 days. The figures released last week relate to calls received by Shelter between January and October 2018. The charity said those close to losing their homes could face further problems as temperatures plummet.

Emily Dean, a helpline adviser for Shelter, said: “We’ve seen a rise in calls from the sharp end of the housing crisis. It’s definitely been getting worse in the last year, and we expect things to be especially bad over the winter months. We’re speaking to families who are really just a few days away from losing their homes and finding themselves with nowhere to go. This will be even tougher for people as the freezing nights start to close in. There’s no doubt we’re in the middle of a housing emergency right now, so supporting our helpline has probably never been more important.”

The minister for housing and homelessness, Heather Wheeler MP, said: “No one should be left without a roof over their head, which is why we are investing more than £1.2 billion to tackle all forms of homelessness. Our rough sleeping strategy, support for councils and those working on the front line are helping to get people off the street and into accommodation as we enter the colder winter months. We’re also making £9 billion available to build more affordable properties as part of our commitment to build the homes our country needs.”

Shelter’s new statistics were released in partnership with retailer Marks & Spencer, which is donating 5% from sales of a special food range to the charity this Christmas.