File variety of households and youngsters in non permanent lodging, authorities reveals

A report variety of households and youngsters reside in non permanent lodging in England, authorities figures have revealed.

The announcement got here a day after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated he was “proud” of the progress his authorities had made on housebuilding.

The new knowledge confirmed 104,510 households had been in non permanent lodging to the tip of March this yr.

This is the biggest determine within the 25 years because the knowledge began being recorded, and was 10% greater than 2022’s quantity.

The complete variety of youngsters in non permanent lodging additionally reached its highest stage since data for that measure started in 2004 – at 131,370.

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Some 41,950 households had been assessed as homeless and subsequently entitled to reduction responsibility – assist to safe settled housing – by their native authority between January and March this yr.

Of these, 11,250 had been households with youngsters – up 12.1% from the identical quarter final yr.

Almost 14,000 households had been residing in mattress and breakfasts as of March – up 37.4% on the yr earlier than, and the variety of B&Bs with dependent youngsters in them rose by 131.2% to three,930 by the tip of March.

Of these, 1,840 had been residing there for greater than the statutory restrict of six weeks, the federal government stated – greater than double the 2022 determine.

Just a day earlier than the discharge of the figures, Housing Secretary Michael Gove gave a speech through which he pledged to extend housebuilding within the UK.

This comes regardless of the federal government watering down its goal to construct 300,000 new houses a yr by the center of the 2020s.

Downing Street claims it’s nonetheless on monitor to satisfy its goal.

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Asked whether or not the manifesto pledge of 300,000 new houses a yr nonetheless stood, Mr Sunak stated: “We are making progress, I’m proud of that progress and we’re not stopping there.

“But we have got to do it in the suitable manner, I do not need to concrete over the countryside, that is one thing that may be very particular about Britain.”

Speaking today, Matt Downie, the chief executive of Crisis, said: “This is unacceptable. The Westminster authorities could have declared victory yesterday on a pledge to construct a million houses on this parliament, however these figures spotlight how out of contact they’re.”

He blamed a lack of investment in housing benefit and not enough social housing for “trapping” families in temporary accommodation with “only one room, with no services to prepare dinner meals or do washing”.

Labour’s shadow homelessness minister, Paula Barker, said the figures were a “shameful indictment” of the government’s record.

“The Conservatives promised to stop homelessness and finish tough sleeping by the tip of subsequent yr, however they’re fully and completely failing, with devastating penalties for 1000’s of households and youngsters.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: “We are decided to stop homelessness earlier than it happens. Temporary lodging ensures no household is and not using a roof over their head and we’ve got been clear that using B&Bs is at all times a final resort.”

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“Councils must ensure temporary accommodation is suitable for families, who have a right to appeal if they think it does not meet their household’s needs. That’s why we have given £2bn over three years to help local authorities tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, targeted to areas where it is needed most. In London, this includes over £350m funding through the Homelessness Prevention Grant.

“The authorities can also be bettering availability of social housing. We are dedicated to delivering 300,000 new houses per yr and investing £11.5bn to construct the reasonably priced, high quality houses this nation wants.”