What’s behind the rise of homelessness in the UK?

The number of people who are homeless or at risk of becoming so has increased by 11.4 percent in the last year, a rise equal to an extra 7,000 people on the streets. 

According to official reports, 68,170 households were considered homeless or on the verge of becoming so, between April and June 2019. 32,220 of those were literally homeless, meaning a 23 percent increase on the same period, last year.

People living in temporary accommodation suchs as hotels, hostels, and bed-breakfasts was at its highest level since 2007.

Nearly 130,000 children dependent on their families live in temporary accommodation.

The number of people living in shared facilities, generally considered the worst type of accommodation, has increased by 40 percent over the last five years. 

The majority of these homeless people were forced to live outside of London, often cutting them off from family networks, without any support.

Some London councils force people to live outside of the city using legal powers that leave people with no choice but to accept leaving the capital. 

These councils make “take it or leave it” offers of housing miles away in the West Midlands and Essex, often with just 24 hours to make their decision.

If they refuse, they are labeled “intentionally homeless”, meaning they are no longer.entitled to certain forms of help/

According housing charity, Shelter’s 2019 report, there were 277,000 people now homeless in the UK. Most of them had been forced to leave private tenancies.

The report says that “a generation of young families will be trapped renting privately for their whole lives. More and more will face living in dangerous accommodation or going into debt, and only half of today’s young people are likely to ever own their own home”

By 2040, one-third of 60-years-olds could be living in privately rented houses where they face higher rents and possible eviction.

Billions of pounds are paid to private sector landlords, creating further pressures on the UK economy.

Shelter recommends “a historic renewal of social housing”, which includes 3.1 million more social homes in the next 20 years.

The housing has long been one of the most important issues facing the country. 

The average house price for all property types has nearly tripled in the last two decades.

According to the National Housing Federation, nearly 3.6 million people are living in an overcrowded house while 2.5 million are unable to pay their rent or mortgage.