Can you see this situation improving, current signs are that it is escalating and will get worse this year. Alarming, one in every 200 person’s were homeless at Christmas in 2019,
There are 280,000 homeless people in insecure accommodation a staggering number, known as the hidden homeless. Those not seen on the streets, who we see on the streets are a tiny proportion of the real problem. It is distressing and something we can resolve.
It is an official number of 280,000 people homeless in England. Many are still under the radar. Less than 5000 are living on the streets. The vast majority of homeless people are ‘hidden homeless’.
Chief Executive, Polly Neate, of Shelter said people coming to their establishments include families with children.
Families are facing a real crisis of insecure housing; they are being turned out of private accommodation by the increase in rents and the freezing of housing benefits. Even when people are working, and sometimes two jobs in a household, they still cannot afford the rent. That often tips people into homelessness. And then there is simply no social housing available that people can move into. The term affordable housing has become a ‘misnomer’ there is a complete shortage of housing.
The Government has set a target of ending street homelessness, which is excellent, and it can be done. It was almost eradicated when Labour was in power. However, the hidden homeless is another problem and requires more attention.
John Healy MP, Labours’s Shadow Housing Secretary, responding to the latest quarterly homelessness statistics said:
‘Rising homelessness shames this Conservative Government.
Homelessness fell with Labour, but under the Tories, it has spiralled out of control, with over 126,000 children now without a home.
In terms of house building, let’s be clear, the Government set a target in Autumn 2017 of building 300,000 homes per year, they have nowhere near reached that target.
This Government has announced 260 million coming in early 2020 spread across 300 councils, but where will this money go? To the visible people living on the streets Or to the hidden homeless.
There is always the challenge of Nimbyism, (not in my back yard) But we need to build good quality social housing. There are plenty of people, even in the countryside recognising that people born in a rural community can no longer afford to live there and meanwhile second homeownership is increasing. Communities are being priced out of the area. Second homes purchased not by those on a low income but those who have the purchasing power. We must build good quality social housing.
Terms like sofa surfing can trivialise the problem. Sounds fun and cool, BUT actually it’s anything BUT. Tackling homelessness both on the street and the hidden needs to be taken extremely seriously.
Homeless people need expert help, they may have numerous issues, have an addiction of some sort. Many have lost trust in the system, people were not born to live on the street.
SO the money pledged in my view will fall short making the change we so desperately need.