Shelter says 271,000 people were homeless in 2022

Shelter says 271,000 people were homeless in 2022

11:24 AM, 11th January 2023, About A year ago 14

Text Size

The homeless charity Shelter says there were ‘at least’ 271,000 people who were homeless on any given night last year because of rising living costs and private rents.

The charity is warning that thousands of people are at risk of losing their homes this year too.

The figures refer to England’s homeless and Shelter says it is bracing for a spike in homeless numbers in 2023.

The charity says that nearly half of the homeless figure includes 123,000 children.

‘271,000 homeless people who are facing a truly bleak 2023’

Polly Neate, Shelter’s chief executive, said: “The new year should be a time of hope, but this isn’t the case for the 271,000 homeless people who are facing a truly bleak 2023.

“A cold doorway or a grotty hostel room is not a home, but this is reality for too many people today.

“Our frontline advisers are working tirelessly to help people who are desperate to escape homelessness – from the parents doing all they can to provide some shred of a normal family life while stuck in an emergency B&B, to the person terrified of another night sleeping rough.”

She added: “With private rents and living costs continuing to soar, thousands of people are not just facing a winter of worry, they are at risk of losing the roof over their head.

“At Shelter, we are bracing ourselves for a sharp rise in homelessness in 2023.”

Currently living in temporary accommodation

The charity’s figures highlight that 2,400 people are sleeping rough, 15,000 people are living in supported accommodation and hostels, while nearly 250,000 people, many of whom are families, are currently living in temporary accommodation.

London has the highest rate of homelessness, with one in 58 people without a home, while people in the North East are least likely to be homeless with a rate of one in 2,118 people.

Shelter says it has put together the figures using freedom of information requests, Government statistics and data from the Homeless Link charity.

The figures only cover those living in hostels, temporary accommodation or on the street and do not include those who are ‘unofficial’ or ‘hidden’ homeless such as those who are living in overcrowded homes or sofa surfing.

Total figure of homeless people

England’s total figure of homeless people is down by 1% from 2021’s figure when 274,000 people were estimated to be homeless.

There has also been a 2% drop in the number of those living in temporary accommodation after numbers peaked in 2020 and the government rolled out its ‘Everyone In’ scheme during the pandemic lockdown.

However, despite the dip, the use of temporary accommodation over the last decade has rocketed by an ‘alarming’ 74%, Shelter says.

The charity highlights that this figure is down to a chronic shortage of social homes.

And, according to Government figures, around 68% of families with children who are living in temporary accommodation have been doing so for at least a year.

Negative impact on their mental health

A survey carried out by Shelter highlights that 63% of participants say that their living situation has led to a negative impact on their mental health.

And 51% said there had been a negative effect on their physical health, with 39% of respondents saying that it’s harder to access GP and healthcare appointments while living in temporary accommodation.

Paula Barker, Labour’s shadow homelessness and rough sleeping minister said the figures are ‘shameful’.

In response, a government spokesperson said that £366 million had been handed to councils to provide temporary housing, pay deposits and help prevent evictions.


Share This Article


Comments

Seething Landlord

12:27 PM, 11th January 2023, About A year ago

"In response, a government spokesperson said that £366 million had been handed to councils to provide temporary housing, pay deposits and help prevent evictions."

Well, that's all right then. How about removing the freeze on housing benefit and encouraging the PRS rather than perpetuating the assault on those who would actually provide permanent accommodation if the conditions were right?

Tom

13:05 PM, 11th January 2023, About A year ago

How many of the 271,000 homeless will Shelter be providing shelter for? Oh, that’s right they don’t actually provide homes for anyone! They do however make it more difficult for those of us that do with their anti- landlord rhetoric.

Mark Butler

13:18 PM, 11th January 2023, About A year ago

I would be interested to know the amount of female/male/children seperately. I am willing to guess around 95% are adult male - I would bet a months money on that.. The sooner Shelter and the like just clam up with the demonisation and just concentrate on helping tenants the better. I watched the Polly Neate on YT the other day having another go at the PRS landlord. She was wearing a scruffy unironed blouse and her hair looked like she had just got out of bed, obviously a consumate professional!!!!

TheMaluka

13:27 PM, 11th January 2023, About A year ago

Shelter and Generation Rent have worked hard at demonising landlords many of whom have reacted by leaving the market. The government has taxed many landlords out of existance. Minimum room sizes took amy hundreds of thousands of small but adequate HMO rooms out of the market. Eventually it will be realised that Private Landlords are part of the solution rather than the problem but by the time realisation strikes it will be too late.

Seething Landlord

13:38 PM, 11th January 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Mark Butler at 11/01/2023 - 13:18Nearly half of them are children - 123,000 according to the report. Can I claim a month's money from you?

Reluctant Landlord

14:12 PM, 11th January 2023, About A year ago

"However, despite the dip, the use of temporary accommodation over the last decade has rocketed by an ‘alarming’ 74%, Shelter says.
The charity highlights that this figure is down to a chronic shortage of social homes.
And, according to Government figures, around 68% of families with children who are living in temporary accommodation have been doing so for at least a year."
No attributing this to the incessant use of S21's and terrible Landlords?
No mention of all this (and more!) being down to LL's raising rent to extreme and unnecessary levels?
No spouting off about how the PRS is pure evil?
Do I see a glimmer of hope - has Shelter really seen the error of their ways and are now seeing the repercussions of habitually slating the PRS? Has it dawned that they pushed too hard and Lexit is real? Are they now turning their attention (at last) the making the government Enemy No1?

Perhaps they interviewed their own staff who went on strike earlier last month, and did a straw poll of how many rented from private LL's and realised that actually the PRS is propping the system UP???

Tom

14:14 PM, 11th January 2023, About A year ago

The report highlights,
“Our frontline advisers are working tirelessly to help people desperate to escape homelessness…..”

That is, when they are not on strike and picketing Shelter for a pay rise so that they do not become one of the 271,000.

Robert M

16:27 PM, 11th January 2023, About A year ago

A simple way of increasing the number of housing units so as to meet the governmental housing "targets", would be to count every individual room in a HMO as a single dwelling, and thus the councils meet their housing targets (a defence when accused of not doing enough to solve homelessness), without actually having to build anything!!!
As a bonus, the councils can then claim Council Tax for each room, thus multiplying the Council Tax income without providing any additional services whatsoever, and this can help plug the shortfalls in local government budgets!!!
(yes, I know they are already doing this).

Mike

21:07 PM, 11th January 2023, About A year ago

I wonder if Shelter ever did an independent and deep study as to the cause of why these people became homeless in the first place, that might help the homeless people better, 95% I am sure due non payment of rent or anti-social behaviour, 4.99% landlords selling up or their property under mortgage re-possession order. and may be 0.01% landlords evicting good tenants just for a laugh but Shelter and Government like to brand all types of evictions under S21 as No Fault Evictions. Which apparently they are not, behind every eviction there is a good reason. Why should Landlords put up with bad tenants, not paying rent on time, missing rent, causing disturbance, and other anti-social behaviour, isn't that the reason why Selective Licensing is now spreading like a fire.
Ask Shelter or Government department for housing why would any landlord try to evict a good tenants using a S21 Notice?

C CA

14:57 PM, 12th January 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Tom at 11/01/2023 - 13:05
Totally agreed..... we should not feel well for the misery of those who are suffering but ....

Shelter is a "Marketing Data Services Charity"

and the homelessness situation is incredible FERTILE for Shelter to Shelt more donations in the bank.

1 2

Leave Comments

In order to post comments you will need to Sign In or Sign Up for a FREE Membership

or

Don't have an account? Sign Up

Landlord Tax Planning Book Now