‘Biggest increase in homelessness for centuries...’
BENEFIT freezes, soaring prices and the end of eviction bans are behind the sharpest rise in homelessness for centuries, the Big Issue’s founder said.
Lord John Bird gave the stark warning as Shelter figures indicate one in 17 private renting households have either been served with an eviction notice or were likely to receive one – a total of more than 275,000.
The homelessness charity’s findings also show that 55,000 children and their families were evicted in the final three months of 2021.
Some 14,000 landlords began court proceedings to evict tenants from their homes in the same period – an increase of 43 per cent on the total in the previous quarter.
Shelter research also shows that almost half of renters (45 per cent) are worried about becoming homeless due to the cost of living crisis.
Meanwhile, in nine out of 10 areas in England, Local Housing Allowance does not cover the cost of a modest two or three bedroom home.
Lord Bird said: “We have never had
‘We will ruin the life chances of millions of families’
a period in modern history when so many people have been facing eviction, when so many are deprived of the means of properly feeding their families or heating their homes. We would have to go back centuries in history to see anything on this scale.”
The magazine founder’s bleak statement comes as Government measures to tackle homelessness in the pandemic unwind. Core homelessness – a concept covering the most acute forms – is estimated to have totalled 203,400 people in England in 2020, down five per cent on 2019.
This was due primarily to the widely praised Everyone In initiative during the pandemic which saw rough sleepers housed in hotels and a ban on evictions, which ended last June.
In December, ministers announced a £316million homelessness prevention fund for councils for the next financial year to protect tens of thousands of people from homelessness, following a joint campaign by The Big Issue and the Sunday Express.
Lord Bird, who welcomed the Government grant at the time, now says it is unclear if the move has done much to solve the problem: “Councils were given grants to prevent Covidrelated homelessness but where is that money? We cannot see it in the magistrates’ court rooms of Britain where increasing numbers of repossession orders are being made.”
He added: “We need to recognise that this is an emergency. Government says borrowing is the highest it has ever been due to Covid, but we need to borrow in order to help people come out of this.
“Otherwise we will ruin the education and life chances of millions of children and families.”
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Bills are skyrocketing, and private rents are higher than ever.
“Housing is at the root of the costof-living crisis, and we could be facing the steepest rise in homelessness in a generation. Years of welfare cuts have left thousands of people on a knife edge making impossible choices about whether to feed their family or pay the rent.
“Those facing eviction are running out of options because there are so few social homes, and many people are destitute.
“Our services are working seven days a week to support people through this storm. But the Government must act to prevent an explosion in homelessness.the immediate priority must be to reverse damaging welfare cuts that are making it so hard for people to pay their rent.
“Long term, we have to build decent social homes with rents tied to local wages so that people have somewhere stable to live.”
But a spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said its own data painted a different picture.
They added: “We do not recognise these numbers.
“Figures show a decrease in the number of households assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness compared to the same period last year.”
The spokesperson said: “We’ve given councils an extra £65million to support low-income households with rent arrears.
“We’re banning no-fault evictions and a £316million homelessness prevention grant will support those at risk get help with evictions or move into temporary accommodation.”