Thousands of children in the North West will be homeless this Christmas
New research from Shelter shows at least 18,800 people in the North West will spend Christmas without a home, including 8,900 children.
This is a stark increase of 29% in one year.
Shelter’s comprehensive analysis of official homelessness figures and responses to Freedom of Information requests reveal homelessness in the North West has risen rapidly in just 12 months:
247 people are sleeping rough on any given night (24% increase) and 18,000 are living in temporary accommodation (27% increase) - most of whom are families.
Shelter’s research also looks at places across the North West where homelessness is most acute.
Manchester comes out worst, with more than 7,700 people homeless, followed by Salford and Liverpool – both cities now have 1550 people without a home.
Councils have a legal duty to house families and people who are vulnerable, but the acute shortage of affordable homes means they are having to rely on temporary accommodation for long periods.
The growing emergency is leaving families stuck for months in grotty hostels, B&Bs and cramped bedsits, often having to share beds with no, or inadequate, cooking and laundry facilities.
People not entitled to accommodation may end up on the streets, sofa-surfing or in dangerous living conditions.
Shelter’s frontline services are dealing with the grim reality of rising homelessness every day from supporting families crammed into a one-room B&B with mouldy walls and bed bugs, to providing emergency assistance to people faced with a night on the streets.
The charity has launched an urgent appeal calling on the public to help it be there for people experiencing homelessness this winter.
John Ryan, Manchester Service Lead at Shelter, said: “Homelessness is on nobody’s Christmas list, but 18,800 people in the North West will spend this time of year in a tiny hostel room or freezing in a doorway.
“The housing emergency is out of control.
"Chronic underinvestment in social homes has left people unable to afford skyrocketing private rents and plunged record numbers into homelessness.
"It is appalling that the government has allowed thousands of families to be packed into damp and dirty B&B’s and hostel rooms, which are traumatising children and making people desperately ill.
“Until the government takes this emergency seriously, our frontline services will do everything they can to help people keep or find a safe home this winter.
"It is only with the public’s support that we can continue to provide vital advice and support and fight for the solutions people want and need to end homelessness.
To donate to Shelter’s Urgent Appeal, visit shelter.org.uk/donate.”
Emma, 44, and her two sons aged seven and seventeen live in Clitheroe, near Blackburn, and were made homeless in early November following a Section 21 no-fault eviction.
Emma searched for other rentals but there was no where they could afford.
The family were placed in temporary accommodation by their council in a tiny flat where they all have to share a bedroom.
Emma’s oldest son is autistic and struggled living in such a confined space, so he was forced to leave and go stay with his dad, splitting up the family.
Emma said: “Becoming homeless and being placed in this flat, through no fault of my own, has split up my family and has made my mental health much worse.
"My oldest son struggles with his autism and has always had me as his support as I’m his main carer, so it’s been difficult to not have him living with us.
“The hardest thing to deal with is the isolation and the shame of walking into this building.
"It feels like a prison cell.
"You can’t even make the place homely because this is meant to be a temporary solution, but we could be here for a week or for months.
"We’re basically in limbo here.
"Recently the shower wasn't working for ten days and we had to use the cold water in the bathroom sink to wash or the communal bathroom downstairs, sharing with strangers.
"This is so upsetting. I feel I have let my children down even though this is not my fault.”
While Shelter’s analysis is the most comprehensive overview of recorded homelessness in England, the true figure is likely to be higher as some types of homelessness, like sofa-surging, go entirely undocumented.
To donate to Shelter’s Urgent Winter Appeal and give people experiencing homelessness the support and security they need this Christmas, visit shelter.org.uk/donate.