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THE number of homeless families or those at risk of homelessness in England has risen by more than 11 per cent since April, government figures revealed today.
Between April and June 2019, the number of households in temporary accommodation rose by nearly five per cent, up to 86,130, according to the report by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
About 127,000 children are believed to be living in temporary accommodation, a 75 per cent jump since the same period in 2010.
The report was published a day after homelessness charity Shelter estimated there are 280,000 homeless people in England.
This means that one out of every 200 people in the country does not have a permanent roof over their head.
Shelter chief executive Polly Neate said: “Now the election is over, the new government must turn its attention to our worsening housing emergency.
“This is an emergency that is tipping thousands of people into homelessness, forcing parents to raise children in grim B&Bs and uprooting families from their jobs, schools and loved ones.”
The most frequent cause for loss of home in the three-month period was “friends or family no longer willing or able to accommodate,” which covered 25 per cent of households, according to the report.
The termination of shorthold tenancies closely followed at 21 per cent.
Under the 2017 Homelessness Reduction Act, local authorities have a duty to prevent homelessness in these cases or help find alternative or temporary accommodation when asked for help by an individual or family.
Labour shadow housing secretary John Healey said: “The national shame of high and rising homelessness this Christmas is a direct result of 10 years of the Conservatives.
“There’s no more powerful reminder of the need for a Labour government than the homelessness we now see in every town and city in our country.
“We will continue to hold the Tories hard to account for their decisions which are making this problem worse and to make the case for change.”
Despite their own damning report, communities secretary Robert Jenrick defended the government, saying that the number of overall rough sleepers had decreased and that more people are “getting the support they need.”
