Thousands of homeless managing to hang on to their job

MORE THAN half of homeless families are holding down a job despite having nowhere stable to live, research by Shelter’s social housing commission has found.

It estimated that there are currently about 33,000 ‘working homeless’, which has risen from 19,000 in 2013.

The charity analysed official Government data on temporary housing, benefits and employment and conducted a tenant survey.

Shelter said the increase has been caused by “a combination of expensive private rents, the ongoing freeze on housing benefit and a chronic lack of social homes”.

Chief executive Polly Neate said: “It’s disgraceful that even when families are working every hour they can, they’re still forced to live through the grim reality of homelessness.

“In many cases, these are parents who work all day or night before returning to a cramped hostel or B&B where their whole family is forced to share a room.

“A room with no space for normal family life like cooking, playing or doing homework.”

She called on the Government to “urgently come up with a new plan for social housing that delivers the genuinely affordable homes we desperately need”.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said priority for temporary housing is given to families with children.

In a statement, he added: “Everyone deserves a safe and decent place to live and we are providing more than £1.2bn so all those left homeless get the support they need.

“So families can get a permanent home, we are investing £9bn in affordable properties, including £2bn for social rent housing.”