Based on freedom of information requests, the exclusive analysis shows that more than 1,900 families in the region are holding down a job despite having nowhere stable to live. This is over three times higher than 2013, when just under 600 families were homeless and working.
This trend in ‘working homelessness’ is being driven by a combination of high private rents, the on-going freeze on housing benefit and a chronic lack of social homes.
High housing costs are a major area of concern for many working families right across the country, particularly those in low-paid, part-time or contract jobs. In fact, losing a tenancy is now the single biggest cause of homelessness – accounting for 27% of all households accepted as homeless in the last year.
With hundreds of thousands of working families in England struggling to keep a roof over their heads, the charity’s commission – the Big Conversation - will make bold recommendations on the role social housing needs to play in easing the housing crisis.
Polly Neate, CEO of Shelter, said: “It’s disgraceful that even when families are working every hour they can, they’re still forced to live through the grim reality of homelessness.
“In many cases, these are parents who work all day or night before returning to a cramped hostel or B&B where their whole family is forced to share a room. A room with no space for normal family life like cooking, playing or doing homework.”
“We cannot allow struggling families to slip through the cracks created by our housing crisis - the government must urgently come up with a new plan for social housing that delivers the genuinely affordable homes we desperately need. Our commission on the future of social housing will be calling for bold solutions, because more of the same is simply not good enough”
Case Study: Mary Smith, 47, lives in temporary accommodation in Watford with her three sons. They became homeless after being evicted by their landlord. Mary works full time in a shoe shop, but still can’t afford to rent privately.
Mary said: “I was brought up by a very proud Irish woman, and taught that you don't discuss things like your finances - so letting my colleagues at work know what's happening is very hard. Luckily, I have an understanding manager now, but I nearly lost my job when I first became homeless because the transport links from my hostel were so bad.
“We’ve lived in three different temporary places in two years, and it’s been really tough on the children. Sometimes, I even think that I don't want to wake up in the morning, but I do. I get on with it because I have other people relying on me.
“I’m not hopeful for our future. I think it's going to be this constant, vicious circle of moving from temporary place to temporary place, when all my family want is to settle down. We don't want a palace, we just want a place that we can call home.”
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About Shelter
Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help.
www.shelter.org.uk