The DCLG has published the latest figures on homelessness in England
for the Quarter period October to December 2015. The number of
households accepted as homeless and the number of households living
in temporary accommodation have increased compared to the same
quarter last year.
14,470 households were accepted as homeless between 1 October
and 31 December 2015. This is a slight decrease of 1% over the
previous quarter figure of 14,670 but 6% up on the figure of 13,680
for the same quarter in 2014.
The total number of households living in temporary accommodation
awaiting the offer of settled accommodation on 31 December 2015 was
69,140. This is up from 68,560 on 30 September 2015 and 12% higher
than the figure of 61,930 households living in temporary
accommodation for the same date in 2014.
"The number of households living in temporary accommodation has
been rising since 2012 and with stock retained councils facing the
prospect of having to sell vacant council housing to fund payments
to the government under the Housing and Planning Bill to reimburse
housing associations for Right to Buy discounts, the concern is
that the number of households living in temporary accommodation
(and the cost to the council general fund and council tax payer)
will continue to grow.
"In
our submission to the CLG Select Committee inquiry into
homelessness has argued that any homes that councils may be forced
to sell should be replaced on a one-for-one basis and that homes
for rent should take priority in any replacement programme so that
there is no long-term overall loss of social rented housing
available to homeless households living in temporary accommodation
and others on council housing waiting lists."