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| Rise in homelessness in England triggers calls to follow Welsh strategy | Rise in homelessness in England triggers calls to follow Welsh strategy |
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| England’s homelessness crisis is continuing to grow with new data showing a 33% rise since 2010 in people accepted as homeless by councils, putting further pressure on the government to act. | |
| A Shelter analysis using the latest official data showed a 6% year-on-year rise in the total number of households accepted as homeless during 2015, including an 8% rise in homeless households with dependant children. | A Shelter analysis using the latest official data showed a 6% year-on-year rise in the total number of households accepted as homeless during 2015, including an 8% rise in homeless households with dependant children. |
| The loss of a tenancy remained the biggest cause of homelessness in 2015, including 17,000 households given emergency accommodation by their council after being evicted from a privately rented home. | |
| Shelter said the 56,600 people accepted as homeless by councils in 2015 was 33% higher than in 2010. | Shelter said the 56,600 people accepted as homeless by councils in 2015 was 33% higher than in 2010. |
| The increase triggered calls for ministers to follow the Welsh government in placing a legal duty on councils to help people in housing crisis after new figures for Wales showed a 67% decrease in formal homelessness in nine months. | The increase triggered calls for ministers to follow the Welsh government in placing a legal duty on councils to help people in housing crisis after new figures for Wales showed a 67% decrease in formal homelessness in nine months. |
| The homelessness prevention law introduced last April by Wales’s Labour-led administration obliges councils to provide practical help to anyone who is homeless or at risk of losing their home. | The homelessness prevention law introduced last April by Wales’s Labour-led administration obliges councils to provide practical help to anyone who is homeless or at risk of losing their home. |
| Welsh government data indicates that where councils worked closely with tenants at risk of losing a tenancy they were successful in keeping them in their homes in two-thirds of cases. | Welsh government data indicates that where councils worked closely with tenants at risk of losing a tenancy they were successful in keeping them in their homes in two-thirds of cases. |
| Jon Sparkes, chief executive of the homelessness charity Crisis, said the success of the Welsh model offered a way forward for England and urged ministers to consider changing the law. | Jon Sparkes, chief executive of the homelessness charity Crisis, said the success of the Welsh model offered a way forward for England and urged ministers to consider changing the law. |
| “We strongly urge the government to follow through on its commitment to consider options – including legislation – to prevent more people from becoming homeless. It is essential that all homeless people can get the help they need and that councils get the necessary funding to deliver on this.” | “We strongly urge the government to follow through on its commitment to consider options – including legislation – to prevent more people from becoming homeless. It is essential that all homeless people can get the help they need and that councils get the necessary funding to deliver on this.” |
| A Department of Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “We know more must be done which is why are considering all options, including legislation, to prevent more people becoming homeless in the first place. | A Department of Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “We know more must be done which is why are considering all options, including legislation, to prevent more people becoming homeless in the first place. |
| “This government has always been committed to supporting the most vulnerable people in our society and while statutory homelessness remains less than half the 2003-04 peak, one person without a home is one too many.” | “This government has always been committed to supporting the most vulnerable people in our society and while statutory homelessness remains less than half the 2003-04 peak, one person without a home is one too many.” |
| Last week the chancellor, George Osborne, said homelessness was “unacceptable in our day and age”. He subsequently announced a £115m package of measures in the budget aimed at tackling rough sleeping. | Last week the chancellor, George Osborne, said homelessness was “unacceptable in our day and age”. He subsequently announced a £115m package of measures in the budget aimed at tackling rough sleeping. |
| However, Shelter said Osborne’s announcement on rough sleepers failed to address the root causes of wider homelessness, such as shortage of housing, rising rents and shrinking housing benefit support. | However, Shelter said Osborne’s announcement on rough sleepers failed to address the root causes of wider homelessness, such as shortage of housing, rising rents and shrinking housing benefit support. |
| Shelter’s chief executive, Campbell Robb, said: “As the number of homeless people continues to grow, it’s clear that the modest proposals on rough-sleeping in the budget are simply inadequate given the scale of this problem, and will not reach the thousands of homeless families hidden away in cramped B&Bs and dingy hostel rooms.” | Shelter’s chief executive, Campbell Robb, said: “As the number of homeless people continues to grow, it’s clear that the modest proposals on rough-sleeping in the budget are simply inadequate given the scale of this problem, and will not reach the thousands of homeless families hidden away in cramped B&Bs and dingy hostel rooms.” |
| The Shelter year-on-year analysis used official homelessness figures for England for each of the four quarters of 2015, including the October-December data published on Wednesday. | The Shelter year-on-year analysis used official homelessness figures for England for each of the four quarters of 2015, including the October-December data published on Wednesday. |