Challenge for Labour as homelessness has risen by one-eighth

Challenge for Labour as homelessness has risen by one-eighth

Here’s a challenge for Labour as homelessness has risen by one-eighth and the party has a manifesto commitment to stamp it out altogether.

Let’s have the facts, courtesy of ITV News:

Homelessness in England has increased by more than 12% in the past year, with a stark rise in the number of households living in temporary accommodation, according to government statistics.

In the year leading up to March 2024, 178,560 households were assessed as homeless.

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It marks a 12.3% increase on the previous financial year, according to new government figures.

The number of households with children in temporary accommodation, which is a form of homelessness, increased by 14.7% to 74,530.

Nearly a quarter (23%) of families in temporary accommodation have been living there for more than five years – this is a 24% increase in one year.

A total of 90 households with children had been in bed and breakfast accommodation for at least five years, the latest figures showed, up from 60 the previous year.

Overall, 324,990 households were found to either be homeless or on the brink of it.

The number of households with children that were either at risk of homelessness or already homeless rose by 3.9%.

The number of single households assessed as rough sleeping has increased by 14.2%.

Meanwhile, care leavers are “much more likely” to be homeless than their peers, the Charity Become warned.

The number of young care leavers aged 18-20 who are homeless has increased by 54% over the last five years, according to analysis by Become.

These are all problems created by the former – Conservative – government, as the statistics related to periods ending before Labour came into office in July.

Labour made commitments in its manifesto to end homelessness with a cross-government strategy operating from the office of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, working with mayors and councils across the country.

This would aim to deliver the biggest increase in affordable and social housing in a generation. The manifesto states Labour will prioritise the building of new social rented homes and protect existing stock including by reviewing Right to Buy discounts.

This hasn’t happened yet, but Labour has introduced a new Renters Rights Bill, with a ban on no-fault evictions as its headline policy.

The bill also seeks to give renters greater rights to challenge rent increases and introduce new laws to end the practice of rental bidding wars by landlords and letting agents.

It would also expand Awaab’s law – named after the toddler who died after exposure to mould in his family’s social rented home – to the private sector, requiring landlords to fix hazards within a certain timeframe.

So Labour’s plans are already in motion. For now, let’s remember these figures so we can compare them with future statistics to find out how successful the new government’s plans turn out to be.

Source: Homelessness in England rises by more than 12% in past year | ITV News


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