England’s homelessness crisis is spiraling, with rising rents, evictions, and a lack of affordable housing forcing more people onto the streets. A new report from Shelter reveals a staggering 14% increase in homelessness over the past year, leaving more than 354,000 people without a secure place to live.
One in 160 Without a Home
Shelter’s figures paint a grim picture. On any given night, one in 160 people in England is homeless. In London, the numbers are even worse, with one in 47 affected. The situation is similarly dire in places like Slough, Manchester, and Birmingham.
Polly Neate, Shelter’s CEO, described the reality as “unimaginable” but, sadly, not surprising. “We’ve got children growing up in mouldy hostels or on sofas,” she said. “None of us get our childhoods back, do we?”
A Perfect Storm
Neate attributes the crisis to an entirely predictable “perfect storm” of rising private rents, evictions, and councils with no social homes to offer. “This isn’t some unsolvable crisis,” she explained. “The answer is staring us in the face: build homes that people on low incomes can afford.”
And it’s not just the usual suspects being affected. Shelter highlights how homelessness is hitting people for the first time, like Sally, a single mum from Dorset, who found herself evicted and on the streets with her teenage daughter. Now stuck in a noisy one-bedroom flat, Sally says: “It makes me feel like our lives are worthless.”
Shocking Figures
Shelter’s research offers a stark breakdown:
- 326,000 people, mostly families with children, are in temporary accommodation – a 17% rise in one year.
- 3,900 people are sleeping rough on any given night, a 10% increase.
- A further 16,600 single people are in hostels or other homeless accommodation.
Yet, these numbers likely underestimate the problem, as sofa-surfing and other forms of hidden homelessness often go unrecorded.
Government Response
The government says it’s aware of the scale of the crisis. Deputy PM Angela Rayner is now leading a cross-departmental team to tackle the root causes of homelessness. A spokesperson acknowledged the gravity of the situation: “No one should have to spend Christmas without a home.”
The government has committed £1bn to homelessness services and pledged to build more social and affordable homes. However, as Neate warns, “words alone won’t put a roof over anyone’s head.”
A Problem We Know How to Fix
The solution isn’t rocket science: build homes people can actually afford. Until then, the shocking reality is that homelessness will continue to rise, and families like Sally’s will remain trapped in unsuitable, temporary accommodation. It’s a grim reminder that for many, the promise of a “better future” still feels lightyears away.
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