8th
Aug 2022
Without fail Shelter has once again claimed PRS evictions is one of the most predominant causes in the escalating levels of homelessness.
The charity cites the latest released government figures showing 74,230 households in England were homeless or in imminent danger of being made homeless during January to March 2022, of which 25,610 were families with kids.
Shelter says it an 11 per cent increase over the quarter, and is 5 per cent higher than the same three months last year.
The charity is demanding the government to immediately step in to curb the high increase in number of homeless cases as private tenants are finding it near impossible to afford the recorded highest private rents ever, as well as contending with the upward explosion in energy, food and fuel prices.
Shelter claims that government figures show 25 per cent of households that were made homeless or in danger of this is because of losing a private tenancy – 18,210.
The has virtually doubled over twelve months – 94 per cent – and is the second highest cause of homelessness in England.
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, says: “Too many people are losing the battle to keep a roof over their heads – struggling to pay rent and put food in their mouths. With homelessness on the rise whoever becomes the next Prime Minister needs to get a grip on this crisis, and fast.
“The housing emergency was already tipping thousands of people into homelessness before the cost of living crisis took hold. Now record-high rents, and crippling food and fuel bills risk sending even more people over the edge – including people who are working every hour they can.
“Our frontline services hear from families every day who’ve got nothing left to cut back on.
“High housing costs are a major part of the cost of living crisis, but they are being ignored.
“To pull struggling renters back from the brink of homelessness, the new Prime Minister must unfreeze housing benefit so people can afford their rent. But to end homelessness for good, building decent social homes with rents pegged to local incomes is the only answer.”
Richard Merrick of PIMS, says:” Of course there is no mention of successive government failures in supporting sufficient numbers of new house-builds to help with the increasing population.”
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