Homelessness in England rises by more than 12% in past year

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.

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

Shelter said the data, published on Thursday by the government, shows that the “housing emergency has trapped many families in temporary accommodation for over five years”.

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.

Mairi MacRae, Shelter's director of campaigns, policy and communications, told ITV News that households being moved between temporary accommodation can affect a child's education.

She said some children have had to miss school because of it.

'Every possible way you can imagine, it's impacting children,' says Shelter's Mairi MacRae

"No child should face the trauma of growing up homeless," she said.

"With skyrocketing rents, and with a lack of truly affordable social homes, we see more and more families being forced into insecure and temporary accommodation.

"What that looks like is often one-bedroom B&Bs, grotty hostels, people sharing beds, no kitchen, sharing bathrooms with strangers, living out of a suitcase, and feeling very anxious about being moved away at short notice."

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.

Polly Neate, chief executive of homelessness charity Shelter, has called on the government to offer more support.

She said: “No child should have to face the trauma of growing up homeless. The housing emergency has trapped many families in temporary accommodation for over five years."

She continued: To help families out of damaging temporary accommodation into a settled home the government must set a target and invest in building genuinely affordable social homes.

"We need 90,000 a year for ten years."

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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%.

Rising numbers of young people leaving care are facing homelessness

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

It is calling on the government to end the 'Care Cliff' - which leaves many young people homeless on the night of their 18th birthday.

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.

Amy Charles says she had an "unstable" upbringing and moved between homes.

At age 18, when she realised she was going to be homeless, she contacted her local authority for support and was moved into supported accommodation.

She said there were issues, such as violence, at the accommodation. Windows wouldn't close, and the radiators were on 365 days a year.

She said she was told to stay there and the council would find her something else, but nothing came.

"I don't feel there's enough support," she told ITV News.

Amy started university while living in the supported accommodation, but says it affected her ability to study and her mental health.

She now lives in private rented accommodation and has finished her university degree, hoping to pursue a career in marketing and communications.

'There's not enough support,' Amy Charles says

Become CEO Katharine Sacks-Jones said there is often less support for young people leaving care.

"Young people leaving care are quite vulnerable, they don't have the family support that other young people have around them," she told ITV News.

"There are housing pressures, cost of living pressures and we are seeing huge pressure on local authority budgets, meaning there is less support often for young people leaving care."

Some young people can stay with their foster family for a little bit longer after they turn 18, but for too many people that is not an option.

'This is a national scandal,' says Become CEO Katharine Sacks-Jones

"These are young people who have been through a huge amount of trauma," she explained.

"Far far too many of them are starting their adult life becoming homeless."

Rushanara Ali, Minister for Homelessness, said the latest government statistics show the "devastating" impact of homelessness.

"These numbers are more than just statistics," she said.

"They show the devastating impact homelessness has on people's lives and it is shocking that so many, including families with children, are spending years without a place to call home.

"We are taking action to tackle the root causes of homelessness – not just its symptoms – putting in place lasting solutions rather than quick fixes.

"We are reversing the worst housing crisis in living history by building 1.5 million new homes and are changing the law to abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions – immediately tackling one of the leading causes of homelessness.

"In addition, we’ve announced a new dedicated cross government group, tasked with creating a long-term strategy to end the disgraceful levels of homelessness."

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