Shelter: Single parents face eviction threat as housing crisis worsens

Shelter: Single parents face eviction threat as housing crisis worsens

0:02 AM, 3rd January 2024, About 4 months ago 12

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Around 74,000 single-parent households and their children could be evicted and made homeless in England this winter, according to a new survey by housing charity Shelter.

The research, funded by the Nationwide Building Society, shows that one in seven lone parents who rent privately are in danger of losing their home.

That’s because they have received or been threatened with an eviction notice, or because they are behind on their rent.

This is much higher than the wider population of private renters in England, where one in 10 are at risk of eviction.

Shelter says that single-parent families are ‘bearing the brunt’ of the housing crisis, as they face blanket bans on children and people on benefits in rented housing.

‘Private renting is broken’

Shelter’s chief executive, Polly Neate, told the Guardian: “Private renting is broken and lone parents are bearing the brunt of the crisis.

“Decades of failure to build genuinely affordable social homes has meant that competition for rentals is fierce and the barriers to finding and keeping hold of a safe home are higher than ever.”

She added: “The only real, lasting solution is to invest in truly affordable social homes with rents tied to local incomes.

“Until the government gets on and commits to that more people will be forced to turn to our services.”

More likely to borrow money to pay their rent

The survey also reveals that single parents are more likely to borrow money to pay their rent, with 41% saying they have done so, compared with 27% of homes without children.

Also, 60% of single parents fear becoming homeless due to rising housing costs, compared with 40% of households without children.

Shelter warns that single parents are especially vulnerable to so-called no-fault evictions, where landlords can end a tenancy without giving a reason.

A government spokesperson said: “The Renters (Reform) Bill which is currently going through Parliament will abolish section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions, delivering a fairer, more secure and higher quality private rented sector.

“We have also announced a substantial increase in local housing allowance which will benefit 1.6m low-income households by on average £800 a year from April 2024.”


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Comments

TheBiggerPicture

10:37 AM, 3rd January 2024, About 4 months ago

"The only real, lasting solution is to invest in truly affordable social homes with rents tied to local incomes"

That's a bit narrow minded.

How about helping these people get a job, or advising them on managing their money.
Or perhaps campaigning to help landlords deliver solutions and encourage investments.
The answer to every problem shouldn't be more socialism and landlord bashing.

NewYorkie

10:50 AM, 3rd January 2024, About 4 months ago

'... they face blanket bans on children and people on benefits in rented housing.'

I thought it was illegal to have such blanket bans.

Rod

11:07 AM, 3rd January 2024, About 4 months ago

Polly hits the nail on the head

“Decades of failure to build genuinely affordable social homes has meant that competition for rentals is fierce and the barriers to finding and keeping hold of a safe home are higher than ever.”

She added: “The only real, lasting solution is to invest in truly affordable social homes with rents tied to local incomes.

Although, I'm confused by her statement:
“Until the government gets on and commits to that more people will be forced to turn to our services.”

Opening their website to banner message is
"We work across a number of areas developing policy to ensure there is a safe, secure, and affordable home for everyone. We also deliver key statistics, respond to consultations, write blogs, and produce policy and research reports"

You have to click through to find out that they offer tenant support services.

While it is not (or should not) be the responsibility of the PRS to support the vulnerable by providing affordable housing, a lack of planning and funding has made local authorities increasingly dependent on the PRS to cover their lack of supply.

In recognition of this, the government has decided that our reward is a penal tax regime, and local authorities have pushed rents up by implementing blanket licencing schemes.

iHowz are engaged with government to ensure that proposed RRB measures, such as abolition of S21 and ending fixed term tenancies do not produce unintended consequences, exasperating the current housing crisis.

Details of the iHowz campaign can be seen here
https://ihowz.uk/campaigns/

Judith Llewellyn

11:35 AM, 3rd January 2024, About 4 months ago

Labour stopped housing benefit being paid to landlord. That needs to be reinstated and option for tenant to take over. Local councils to act as guarantor on every dhs tenancy. Hrlp from social services with tenants who develop serious mental health problems. We are not social workers but most of us have to step in at some time. Currently crisis line will only help if the tenant phones them and asks for help - as if that is going to happen!
If a tenant defaults with non osymrnt if two months rent , it will probably take 3- 4 months to have tenant evicted and possibly 6 months with the 60 day waiting period which equates to 8 months rent down the drain.Not going to go there again are we?. landlords are treated like muppets by local authorities.

Paul Essex

19:51 PM, 3rd January 2024, About 4 months ago

There is a lot of discussion at this time of year about a certain virgin birth. I believe that this is a miraculously rare event so why exactly should we be financially responsible when the fathers just disappear?

It is of course easier to blame us rather than absentee parents.

GlanACC

7:10 AM, 4th January 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Paul Essex at 03/01/2024 - 19:51
I agree, shouldn't Shelter be campaigning for the absent fathers to stump up money. It is not the landlords job to be a social worker. Having had a number of single parent families in my properties over the past 20 years, I would advise any landlord to find a 'legal' excuse NOT to accept any LHA tenants. In my experience the absent fathers often end up co-habiting with the single monthers, leaving the landlord in danger of the tenants payments being stopped.

NewYorkie

10:18 AM, 4th January 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 04/01/2024 - 07:10When I was working with the DWP on a new fraud investigation system, one of the biggest frauds was single mothers claiming benefit, while the supposed absentee father was living there.

6 years on, and nothing has changed.

Paddy O'Dawes

12:58 PM, 4th January 2024, About 4 months ago

Ridiculous article tbh. A single tenant has more chance of being evicted due to inability to cover bills due to the fact that a couple have more earning power. Being a single parent is irrelevant, and I was/am a single parent . I look forward to seeing "minimum wage earners more likely to get evicted than 6 figure earners" 🙄

Michael Booth

12:46 PM, 5th January 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Judith Llewellyn at 03/01/2024 - 11:35I used to get paid directly by social services until learned the hard way a tenant got caught fiddling benefits and they took all he owed them out of my bank account and its all legal . What a joke l get penalised for housing a benifit cheat.

Michael Booth

12:52 PM, 5th January 2024, About 4 months ago

See my local council are imposing further licencing to areas in my town £500+ per property well polly l think you will find more people homeless with this policy already let all tenants that their rent will increase accordingly sorry if they can't or won't pay eviction looms unlike shelter l am not a charity.

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