Backlash grows over continued frozen LHA rates
5 months ago
Shelter blames rising rents and housing benefit freeze for driving homelessness
9:25 AM, 22nd December 2025, 4 months ago
18
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Shelter claims “unaffordable private rents and the freeze on housing benefit” are pushing more people into temporary accommodation.
According to the housing charity, 382,618 people are now homeless, including 350,480 people homeless in temporary accommodation, the highest since records began.
The news comes as the government have pledged to prevent homelessness by the end of this Parliament through its new homelessness strategy.
Newham is the local authority with the highest rate of homelessness in the country
The housing charity claims one in every 153 people in England are now experiencing homelessness, with households spending an average of nearly three years in temporary accommodation.
In the North West, the number of people recorded as homeless has grown by 15% in the last year, and in Yorkshire and the Humber and the West Midlands it has risen by 11%.
Newham is the local authority with the highest rate of homelessness in the country, with 1 in 18 people homeless.
Outside of London, Slough is the worst-affected local authority, with 1 in 43 people homeless, followed by Hastings with 1 in 60 homeless and Manchester and Birmingham, where 1 in every 61 people are homeless.
Unaffordable private rents are pushing more people into homelessness
In a press release, Shelter blames rising rents and the freeze on local housing allowance (LHA) as trapping people in temporary accommodation.
The press release says: “The dire shortage of social homes, unaffordable private rents and the freeze on housing benefit are pushing more people into homelessness and trapping them there.”
Sarah Elliott, chief executive officer at Shelter, is urging the government to unfreeze LHA rates
She said: “It’s unthinkable that as winter sets in, more than 382,000 people are without a safe place to call home. Thousands of people are bracing themselves for their next freezing night on the street, while over 84,000 families are facing up to the grim reality of spending Christmas in damaging temporary accommodation.
“Every day at Shelter, we hear from parents who are terrified of waiting out another winter in appalling temporary accommodation. Cut off from family and friends in a bleak emergency B&B that’s miles away, they watch as their children’s breath hangs in the air and mould climbs the walls.
“We urge the government to help the families who are homeless right now by ending the freeze on housing benefit. This would immediately lift thousands of children out of temporary accommodation and into a home. While we campaign for change, our frontline services will continue providing direct support to those facing homelessness this winter and beyond.”
Tags:
homelessness, Housing Benefit Freeze, housing crisis, Rising Rents, Shelter charity, temporary accommodation
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Member Since August 2016 - Comments: 1190
11:40 AM, 22nd December 2025, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by The_Maluka at 09:43
I don’t really see an Experian record for rent payments as much of a positive tbh. It’s voluntary whereas mortgages, loans, credit cards etc are not. And it’s better to ask for 12 months full bank statements and ensure the rental payments made are on there. Also can check for any other outgoings such as CSA commitments and spot other outgoings (private loans maybe) not showing or missing from credit search. And salary credits show on bank statements as well. (Sorry for being negative 😂)
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1642 - Articles: 3
12:46 PM, 22nd December 2025, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by No at 22/12/2025 – 11:35
Don’t forget the level of immigration over the last 10 years. They are prioritised over the indigenous population who’ve already been on the waiting for years, and I can’t see that changing any time soon. No landlord blame there.
Is there no way councils could work with landlords to help avoid evictions for arrears?
Member Since January 2016 - Comments: 473
12:51 PM, 22nd December 2025, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 22/12/2025 – 10:05
I don’t know, Polly Neate former CEO of Shelter reaped ennoblement to the house of lords for all her good work.
Member Since August 2016 - Comments: 1190
2:02 PM, 22nd December 2025, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 12:46
The sad thing is it doesn’t work the other way round, I’m not allowed as a landlord to prioritise British people.
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 467 - Articles: 1
4:20 PM, 22nd December 2025, About 4 months ago
The Renters Rights Act is really all about two things: First, it is about reducing the eligibility of the homeless to be housed by the state. (I cannot wait to see Shelter’s and Gen Rent’s faces when they realise they have been “done up like a kipper” by this Act).
Second, it is about raising ever more dollops of cash for the local authorities via a raft of new and bigger fines for landlord infractions. This has been missed by the mainstream media. Here, I explain more.
https://www.lettingfocus.com/blogs/2025/07/what-the-renters-rights-bill-is-really-about/
Member Since December 2025 - Comments: 2
2:16 PM, 23rd December 2025, About 4 months ago
Shelter and Generation Rant alongside our compromised government are the main parties responsible for rent increases.
Agree the LHA rates need to be unfrozen, but that lies with the government.
Market rents are increasing due to the anti landlord legislation, punitive measures, red tape, beauracracy and additional requirements being imposed. Landlords exiting due to the toxic environment means fewer properties.
Shelter who are supposed to be defending Renters who have been wronged even defend Renters who are causing blatant anti social behaviour. We have a renter using a property as a drugs den, harbouring wanted felons, some with weapons, and they are defending them.
Astonishing!!!!!
Member Since October 2019 - Comments: 401
9:56 AM, 27th December 2025, About 4 months ago
The LLs fault yet again. Of course nothing to do with the government’s ridiculous regulations!
Member Since May 2014 - Comments: 620
11:50 AM, 27th December 2025, About 4 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Marcel Price at 23/12/2025 – 14:16
I hope these injustices backfire on the Government.
The old regulated tenancies were very bad but now we have protected tenants and in addition we have increased rent repayment orders and a plethora of regulations and large fines for minor oversights.
While some tenants on the other hand can apparently get away with using property as a drug den, harbouring wanted felons and weapons and they are supported by organisations who are still bleating about tenants being unfairly treated.