6th
Dec 2021
Shelter is claiming its helpline is having to contend with receiving 1,000 people calling for help ever since the eviction ban was eased earlier in the year.
It says its free to use helpline has been “inundated” with more than 60,000 people calling between June and October; 70 per cent were facing eviction or were already homeless.
Shelter’s latest statement claims the evictions ban was one of a number of major measures keeping households safe in their homes.
However as the measures being reduced and in turn living costs on a sharp rise, many thousands of people have been ringing the charity for help.
The charity is saying 25 per cent of people contacting the helpline are in ‘dire straits’ and urgently need its help “to try and [sic] keep hold of their current home.”
Shelter is at present appealing for funding and states that Winter will make the situation considerably worse for its callers and services.
Helpline manager Andrea Deakin says: “The last year has been hard, and 2022 is going to be just as tough. Now Covid protections have ended and living costs are soaring, we’re answering calls from thousands of people who are homeless or about to be.
“We’re working every day, including Christmas Day, to make sure no one faces homelessness alone, but we’ve got our work cut out. By the time we get that call most people have exhausted every other avenue - from the family about to be evicted, to the person facing another night sleeping in their car.”
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