Number of Homeless Children has Reached Seven-Year High

More than 103,000 children in England are homeless this Christmas.

22:19 23 December 2015

The number of homeless children this Christmas has reached a seven-year high, as confirmed by the housing charity Shelter.

 

The charity said that more than 103,000 children would spend Christmas in B&Bs, hostels, or temporary rented homes.

 

Chief executive of Shelter, Campbell Robb, said: "These figures are a heart-breaking reminder that thousands of families will wake up homeless this Christmas morning - many hidden away in a cramped and dingy B&B or hostel room, sometimes miles away from everyone and everything they know.

"With the double blow of cuts to welfare and a chronic lack of affordable housing, many more families are facing a desperate battle to keep a roof over their heads.

 

"Our advisors will be working non-stop to support the 109,000 children who'll be homeless this Christmas, but we're struggling to keep up with demand. That's why we urgently need more support from the public to help us make sure that no-one is left to fight bad housing or homelessness on their own."

 

However, ministers said that the figures are only half of the 2003 and 2004 peak.

 

Communities Minister Marcus Jones said: "We are committed to helping the most vulnerable people in our society. The protection of the Homelessness Prevention Grant in the Local Government Finance Settlement shows our continued commitment to tackling homelessness.

"Statutory homelessness acceptances are now less than half the 2003 to 2004 peak but we are determined to ensure that anybody who needs help gets it.

 

"We have made over £500m available since 2010, which has prevented nearly a million people becoming homeless. We are committed to build on this over the next four years and work with the sector to do all we can to prevent homelessness."