Shelter says 309,000 people will spend Christmas homeless – as it unveils fundraising campaign

Shelter says 309,000 people will spend Christmas homeless – as it unveils fundraising campaign

0:02 AM, 15th December 2023, About 5 months ago 31

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At least 309,000 people in England will spend Christmas without a home, including nearly 140,000 children – which Shelter says is an ‘outrage’ as it launches a new fundraising drive.

Shelter is a campaigning charity offering advice and information to tenants and pushes for policy changes by the government.

It doesn’t provide homes for those at risk of losing theirs or are living on the street.

The charity blames ‘skyrocketing’ private rents and a lack of social housing being built for leaving vulnerable people in ‘grotty hostels’ and ‘cramped bedsits’.

‘Homelessness is on nobody’s Christmas list’

The charity’s chief executive, Polly Neate, said: “Homelessness is on nobody’s Christmas list, but 309,000 people will spend this time of year in a tiny hostel room or freezing in a doorway.

“The housing emergency is out of control. Chronic underinvestment in social homes has left people unable to afford skyrocketing private rents and plunged record numbers into homelessness.”

She added: “It is appalling that the government has allowed thousands of families to be packed into damp and dirty B&B’s and hostel rooms, which are traumatising children and making people desperately ill.

“Until the government takes this emergency seriously, our frontline services will do everything they can to help people keep or find a safe home this winter.

“It is only with the public’s support that we can continue to provide vital advice and support and fight for the solutions people want and need to end homelessness.”

Homeless figure has increased by 14%

Shelter says the homeless figure has increased by 14%, or 38,100 people, in one year and after analysing official homelessness figures, it also says that one in 182 people in England are currently homeless.

The charity’s research shows homelessness has risen rapidly in just 12 months: over 3,000 people are sleeping rough on any given night (a 26% increase) and 279,400 are living in temporary accommodation (a 14% increase) – most of whom are families.

There are also 20,000 people in hostels or supported accommodation.

Families who are homeless

The government’s figures reveal that almost half (47%) of families who are homeless in temporary accommodation have been there for more than two years.

Councils have a legal duty to house families and people who are vulnerable, but the acute shortage of affordable homes means they are having to rely on temporary accommodation for long periods.

Shelters says that the housing emergency is leaving families stuck for months in poor accommodation and often having to share beds with no, or inadequate, cooking and laundry facilities.

It also warns that those not entitled to accommodation may end up on the streets, sofa-surfing or in dangerous living conditions.


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Comments

Monty Bodkin

9:43 AM, 15th December 2023, About 5 months ago

Join the dots....

https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2023/4/over-half-a-million-landlords-to-quit-the-market--shock-forecast

"Previous estimates that half a million landlords are set to sell up may actually be a massive under-estimate, a property industry figure suggests."

Martin Roberts

10:41 AM, 15th December 2023, About 5 months ago

Shelter could carry on ‘campaigning', or actually use the money people donate (in good faith) to help.

Easy rider

10:42 AM, 15th December 2023, About 5 months ago

Maybe Shelter could use some of the many £millions that they receive each year to provide shelter to some of the homeless. Just one would do for starters.

The problem is that we have too many people in part, because the government is frightened of using the Armed Forces to protect our borders.

NewYorkie

11:07 AM, 15th December 2023, About 5 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Monty Bodkin at 15/12/2023 - 09:43Keep joining the dots... what does Shelter have to say about the UK prioritising safe, warm housing, hot meals, phones, and pocket money, to illegal migrants and asylum seekers?

Juan Degales

11:38 AM, 15th December 2023, About 5 months ago

I wonder how many of those homeless were caused by Shelter and the rest of the “charities”. Often wonder if they reflect on this? ,but as their very existence depends on demonising landlords , concocting dubious statistics and shouting about inequality.
One day soon perhaps they will realise how much of this mess is their doing.

Beaver

13:23 PM, 15th December 2023, About 5 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Juan Degales at 15/12/2023 - 11:38
I was in Marks & Spencer earlier this week to buy something. An advert told me that Marks & Spencer are donating money to Shelter.

Shelter is supposedly a charity but it turns over millions without housing anybody. There are lots of housing charities that do house people.

So I walked out of Marks & Spencer and did my shopping somewhere else.

NewYorkie

14:58 PM, 15th December 2023, About 5 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 15/12/2023 - 13:23I didn't realise that. They really are misguided. They just see shelter as the most well known name, and assume they actually do help to house the homeless, rather than lobby Parliament and pump out endless anti-landlord rhetoric.

I suggest we all email the M&S CEO with our views: stuart.machin@marks-and-spencer.com.

Beaver

15:03 PM, 15th December 2023, About 5 months ago

Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 15/12/2023 - 14:58
In the small town in which I live, and where the local Marks & Spencer is, or close by there are at least two charities that actually use their money to house homeless people. One of them does appear to be both reasonably efficient and effective at doing something to house these people. If M&S gave their donation to one of these charities I wouldn't have much of a problem with it.

But I find the fact that Shelter has been in receipt of millions of taxpayers money and also gets money from Marks & Spencer without housing anybody deeply offensive.

I won't be shopping in Marks & Spencer as long as they are advertising that they are supporting Shelter.

NewYorkie

15:19 PM, 15th December 2023, About 5 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 15/12/2023 - 15:03
My email;

Dear Mr Machin.

I have been impressed with M&S' turnaround of late, and started to shop with you after a long time away. The quality of your food hall had replaced my loyalty to Waitrose.

However, I recently noticed that M&S sponsors Shelter, and my immediate reaction was one of puzzlement.

Shelter is a charity which claims to help the homeless, but which doesn't actually provide any housing for the homeless, despite the many £millions it receives in grants and sponsorship. It is nothing more than a housing lobbyist.

So, my question to you is, why would you sponsor an organisation to lobby Parliament? Wouldn't your sponsorship be put to better use if it was directed at a charity which actually houses the homeless. That's who desperately needs your money, not an already well-heeled 'mouthpiece'.

I hope to hear from you.

Beaver

15:23 PM, 15th December 2023, About 5 months ago

Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 15/12/2023 - 15:19
In order to be both helpful and constructive (including to Marks & Spencer) can any of the landlords on this site please recommend ANY housing charities, e.g. charities local to them, that actually do house people and do so efficiently? Clearly, that will not include Shelter.

And if M&S doesn't take note of that then maybe Sainsbury, Aldi, Lidl, Waitrose, Tesco or Morrisons might like to take note.

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