Homelessness is a tragedy for all those it affects, and is one of the most visible signs of the nation’s housing crisis. It is damaging for individuals, families and communities, and limits peoples’ ability to play a full and active role in society and the economy.
Key messages
- Homelessness is a tragedy for all those it affects, and is one of the most visible signs of the nation’s housing crisis. It is damaging for individuals, families and communities, and limits peoples’ ability to play a full and active role in society and the economy.
- The increase in homelessness pressures across the country is causing major concern to local government. Many councils are finding it difficult to provide suitable accommodation for families facing homelessness at a cost that is sustainable. This is because the number of households in temporary accommodation has been rising consistently over the last ten years.[i]
- Our latest figures show councils are currently providing temporary housing for 77,240 households, including 120,540 children, which is a net increase of 32,650 (37 per cent) since the second quarter of 2014.[ii]
- Placements in temporary accommodation can present serious challenges for families. It can harm parents’ employment and health, and impact on children’s ability to focus on school studies and form friendships. Evidence suggests that those who are unfortunate enough to be homeless present a greater cost to the NHS and social care, than those who live in secure housing.[iii]
- Councils are making every effort to end homelessness by preventing it happening in the first place. This includes working with partners to place people into secure, appropriate accommodation.
- Everyone needs a home that is affordable, good quality and is well-supported by local services and infrastructure. The country needs to build 250,000 homes a year to keep up with demand. The last time housebuilding reached this level, in the 1970s, local government built around 40 per cent of them.
- Bold new action is needed to solve our housing crisis and a renaissance in house building. That is why in our Autumn Budget submission, we are calling on the Government to:
- Use its balance sheet to make cheaper finance available to councils seeking to acquire homes for the use of homeless households at scale.
- Re-establish self-financing from 2020, lifting the borrowing cap, and providing a sustainable long term financial framework for councils.
- Redefine affordable housing as that costing 30 per cent of household income or less. [iv]