Homeless deaths at an eight-year high
THIS IS DESPITE GOVERNMENT LOCKDOWNS
THE number of homeless people who died in Leicestershire last year was the highest since 2013.
Office for National Statistics (ONS) data estimated at least 13 homeless people died in Leicestershire during 2020. That was five more than 2019.
Ten of the deaths were in Leicester and three in Charnwood.
Jon Sparkes, chief executive of charity Crisis, said: “These deaths aren’t just numbers. Each individual was someone’s loved one whose life has been cut short and whose ambitions and dreams will now never be fulfilled.
“We cannot let the lessons from each of these tragic and often preventable deaths carry on going unlearnt.”
The ONS figures mainly include people sleeping rough at or around the time of death, but also include those using emergency accommodation such as homeless shelters and direct access hostels.
ONS believe the real numbers may be higher – despite 2020 having seen the government’s Everyone In scheme.
Since launching in March 2020, it has provided more than 37,000 homeless people with emergency accommodation.
there were at least 688 deaths of homeless people in 2020 across England and Wales – down from 778 in 2019, but 43 per cent higher than when the data was first compiled in 2013.
Polly Neate, chief executive of homelessness charity Shelter, said the figures were unacceptable.
“To think at least 688 people’s final days were spent homeless in the pandemic is a sobering thought,” she said.
“If it wasn’t for the government’s Covid response to help people off the streets, more lives would have been lost. As we head into another hard winter with the virus still circuNationally, lating, we cannot leave anyone out in the cold.”
Together, Crisis and Shelter have called on the government to do more to help those most in need.
“We urgently need to see the governments across England and Wales expand the safeguarding review system used to investigate the deaths of vulnerable adults to include everyone who has died while street homeless,” said Mr Sparkes.
“In the longer term, we also need to help people to avoid homelessness before it happens.”
Ms Neate said: “The government must step in again to keep people safe from Covid and the ravages of homelessness this winter.”
“Councils need guidance to ensure everyone at risk of sleeping rough is offered emergency accommodation – and the funding to provide it.”
Earlier this year, the government said it would invest £66 million in providing safe and warm accommodation over the winter months.
Speaking at the time, Eddie Hughes, the rough sleeping and housing minister, said the funds would “be a lifeline for thousands as the temperature drops this winter”.
AID DURING