Homelessness in England rises by 75% among vulnerable groups
Homelessness among people with mental and physical health problems has increased by around 75 percent since the Conservatives came to power in 2010, and there has been a similar rise in the number of families with dependent children who are classed as homeless.
According to official figures collated by the Department for Communities and Local Government, the number of homeless households in England identified by councils as priority cases because they contain someone who is classed as vulnerable because of their mental illness, has risen from 3,200 in 2010 to 5,470 this year, the Guardian wrote.
Over the same period, the number of families with dependent children — another priority homeless group identified by councils — has increased from 22,950 to 40,130. The number of homeless households with a family member who has a physical disability has increased from 2,480 to 4,370.
After a week in which the prime minister has come under renewed attack over homelessness, housing charities have called on the government to urgently build more affordable housing and reverse a squeeze on benefits which has left vulnerable people unable to pay their rents.
“With homelessness soaring, it is no surprise that the number of vulnerable groups — including families with children — who are having to turn to their council for help is on the rise,” said Polly Neate, chief executive of charity Shelter. “As wages stagnate, rents continue to rise and welfare is cut, many people are struggling to keep a roof over their head. Eviction is now the number one cause of homelessness.
“Our services across the country are seeing an increase in the number of people with multiple and complex needs, and we think this may be because other services are failing to provide the help that people need. The solution to our housing crisis must be to urgently build more affordable homes and, in the short term, end the freeze on housing benefit that is increasingly pushing people over the precipice into homelessness.”
Last week, Theresa May was accused of failing to understand the plight of homeless families following her House of Commons response to Rosena Allin-khan, the Labour MP for Tooting, who said 2,500 children in her constituency would “wake up homeless on Christmas Day”.