Almost 300,000 families are currently facing severe homelessness, as revealed in a recent report highlighting the escalating crisis. Charity Crisis has identified individuals resorting to sleeping on the streets and in inadequate temporary accommodations like nightly-paid B&Bs and hostels.
The report discloses that in 2024, 299,100 households in England were confronted with acute homelessness, marking a 21% surge since 2022 and a significant 45% rise from 2012 when the total stood at 206,400. According to the charity’s report, these alarming increases stem from real income erosion due to inflation, heightened poverty and destitution, escalating private rents coupled with evictions, and dwindling social rented lettings. Urgent intervention is deemed essential, with projections indicating a potential surge to 360,000 by 2041 if no swift action is taken.
A nationwide study, commissioned by Crisis and led by Heriot-Watt University, found that 70% of councils reported an upsurge in residents seeking homelessness support, with London and northern England councils experiencing the most significant spikes.
In anticipation of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s Budget announcement on November 26, Crisis is advocating for the restoration of housing benefit to align with private rents. Matt Downie, Crisis’s Chief Executive, emphasized the critical need for a prompt response from the UK Government, stressing that no one should endure living in unsafe conditions, whether it involves children in substandard B&Bs or individuals forced to sleep on the streets, in tents or squats.
Downie urged government officials to fulfill their manifesto commitment to eradicate homelessness and emphasized the importance of preventing homelessness by addressing support service gaps to ensure individuals do not end up homeless after leaving institutions like prisons and hospitals. As winter looms and pressure mounts on councils, he called on Westminster to address the acute end of the housing crisis promptly.
In response, a government spokesperson underscored the importance of every individual having a secure home. The government is investing over £1 billion in homelessness services, introducing a comprehensive cross-government homelessness strategy, and allocating a record £39 billion towards affordable and social housing. Efforts to tackle the root causes of homelessness are being accelerated by collaborating across government to support those most at risk, abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, and expanding access to safe accommodations.
