MORE than 150,000 children are now in temporary accomodation as campaigners warned today that “little is being done” by the government.
The total at the end of March is 15 per cent higher than the previous year and the highest since records began in 2004.
Data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government also showed a record high of households in temporary accomodation.
The total was 117,450 in England at the end of March, 74,530 of which had children.
Households in B&Bs rose by 30 per cent to 17,750 at the end of March – with 5,550 households including children, up by almost half.
Big Issue founder and crossbench peer Lord Bird described the latest figures as “appalling,” warning that “another winter looms and there’s little being done to turn this terrible tide.”
Amnesty International UK said homelessness is a “fundamental human rights issue that should concern us all.”
Separate figures from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) meanwhile showed bailiff repossessions using Section 21 “no-fault” evictions reaching their highest level for six years.
Campaigners called on Labour to take action more quickly to abolish no-fault evictions.
Housing charity Shelter said this government must “tackle the housing emergency head on.”
Renters’ Reform Coalition director Tom Darling noted that Labour pledged to end no fault evictions “immediately” while in opposition.
“Renters cannot afford to wait much longer – we must see legislation brought forward soon to get a grip on the situation and address the renting crisis,” he said.
The Local Government Association said the section 21 ban needs to be brought forward as quickly as possible, with councils given the “powers and resources needed to address the national shortage of affordable housing.”
Homeless Link CEO Rick Henderson said: “Years of hostile government policies towards people seeking asylum in the UK created a backlog of cases at massive cost to the Home Office, with huge numbers of people trapped in asylum accommodation.”
Generation Rent called on government to introduce longer periods of protection for tenants, longer notice period and financial support to move.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said: “We are facing the most acute housing crisis in living memory and homelessness remains at record levels. This is nothing short of a national scandal.
“Urgent action must be taken to fix this. That’s why we are working across government and with local leaders to develop a long-term strategy to end homelessness for good.”
