County among top 5 for homelessness

NEW figures showing the level of homelessness across Wales have been released – with Carmarthenshire among the worst counties.

Housing charity Shelter said at least 25,937 people experienced homelessness across Wales in 201718 – which is 3% higher than last year.

The charity estimates that there were just 834 people homeless in Swansea during the year compared to the Wales high of 4,547 in Cardiff.

The figures include people who were in temporary accommodation, sofa surfing or sleeping on the streets. Third on the list was Carmarthenshire with 1,807 people, behind Newport on 2,228.

Shelter said the figures refer to people who made a homelessness application to their local authorities that year, which not all homeless people would have done.

The figures also do not include the number of people threatened by homelessness.

A Shelter spokeswoman said: “Homelessness in Wales is on the rise due to increasing rents, welfare reform and a lack of social housing.

“Although Welsh Government has done a lot in recent years to help prevent homelessness, we need to do more to help people who are already homeless.”

“We need to break down the barriers that are preventing people from getting the homes they need.”

Shelter took government statistics for the number of households which applied for help with homelessness with their local authorities, multiplied by the average household size for Wales.