128,000 children in Britain will be homeless on Christmas day according to a new report by Shelter

A shocking 128,000 children in Britain will wake up homeless and in temporary accommodation this Christmas, a new report by Shelter reveals today.

One in every 111 children is currently homeless, and with the country still at the mercy of a worsening housing crisis, 2017 has seen the highest numbers of homeless children in a decade.

At least 140 families become homeless every day, and in the last year alone, 61% of families helped by Shelter’s frontline services were homeless or on the brink of losing their home. In response to such huge demand, the charity is calling on the public to help fund its frontline advisers by supporting its urgent Christmas appeal.

To expose the devastating reality of homelessness, Shelter carried out in-depth interviews with children and their parents living in emergency B&Bs and hostels. This is widely considered the worst type of temporary accommodation. In the unique investigation:

 

  • Every family lived in a single room which significantly disrupts the children’s ability to play, do homework and carry out any kind of daily routine
  • A quarter of families had no access to a kitchen at all, and the rest had to make do with shared facilities. Struggling to cook meals, more than half of parents said they rely on expensive and unhealthy takeaways. And two-thirds had to eat family meals on the bed or floor of their room
  • Half of families had to share toilet and bathroom facilities with other households, often with filthy conditions and unlockable doors, meaning strangers could walk in at any moment
  • More than a third of parents had to share a bed with their children. Three quarters say bedtimes have become difficult and half say their children are more tired

 

In England, where the highest number of families are placed into B&Bs, 45% stay beyond the six-week legal limit. The charity’s findings lay bare the psychological turmoil experienced by families living in these cramped conditions for often long periods of time, including:

 

  • Three quarters of parents felt their children’s mental health had been badly affected. One parent said her daughter had become suicidal since living in the hostel
  • Half of parents reported that their children’s physical health had also worsened, with incidents of bed bug infestations, and broken heating causing children to fall ill
  • Children spoke about feeling anxious, afraid and ashamed. Several children described school as a respite. For one it was the only place he felt happy, another felt stressed at the thought of returning to her accommodation at the end of the school day
  • Children also talked about their school work suffering because of long journeys to school each day, poor and broken sleep, and having no space or quiet-time to do their homework

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “It’s a national scandal that the number of homeless children in Britain has risen every year for the last decade. No child should have to spend Christmas without a home – let alone 128,000 children.

“Many of us will spend Christmas day enjoying all of the festive traditions we cherish, but sadly it’ll be a different story for the children hidden away in cramped B&Bs or hostel rooms. Imagine living in a noisy strange place full of people you don’t know, and waking up exhausted from having no choice but to share a bed with your siblings or parents.

“That’s why our frontline advisers will continue to work tirelessly, including on Christmas day, to help more families fighting homelessness. But we can’t do this alone. We’re asking people to help a homeless family and make giving to Shelter their new Christmas tradition.”

Case study: Twins Ellie and Amy, aged 15, are currently homeless and living in temporary accommodation. Until a few weeks ago they were living in a tiny hotel room which they shared with the rest of their family. They had no access to a kitchen and only shared bathroom facilities, the twins also had to share a bed.

Amy said: “We’re living in a B&B. It’s a small room with five people living in it. It’s got one double bed and one single bed. It’s not even a proper bed…it’s a camp bed. Three people sleep in the double bed with one person at the bottom and two people at the top. And two in the single bed. I sleep next to my brother, he kicks. My mum talks in her sleep.

“There’s a tiny toilet with a shower but my brother doesn’t like showers because he’s autistic so he has to bath in a bucket. He stands in it and mum tips a cup over him. He screams if you try and put him in the shower.”

Ellie said: “It’s hard to concentrate at school because there’s the worry about coming home. It’s just stressful. There’s nowhere we can relax or get any privacy. Before it was much better. We had our own home right near school and right near our friends. We all had our own rooms and a cooker and a fridge. We could eat proper meals. I just want it to be like it was before.”

To support Shelter’s urgent Christmas appeal please visit www.shelter.org.uk or text SHELTER to 70080 to donate £3.

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

The five MOST searched mortgage questions answered by a property expert

With terms including the word ‘mortgages’ generating over half-a-million Google searches a month (595k) in the UK alone, it’s clear that many prospective homeowners are still confused about how mortgages work, what they’re eligible for, and how to navigate a challenging market. To help provide clarity, Luke Williams, Specialist Property Advisor, at Pure Property Finance,…
Read More
Breaking News

53% of Tenants likely to challenge rent increases, but fair landlords have little to fear, says LRG report

More than half of tenants say they are likely to challenge rent increases under the incoming Renters’ Rights Bill (RRB), according to new research by LRG (Leaders Romans Group). However, the figures also show that nearly half of the tenants surveyed would not look to challenge a rent increase, a reflection, LRG says, of the…
Read More
Breaking News

Nationwide report Rural rules the roost

Rural rules the roost as countryside homes plough ahead of urban properties for house price growth House prices in predominantly rural areas have risen by 23% over the last five years, compared to 18% in predominantly urban areas Rural terraced properties have seen the strongest rate of price growth, urban flats the weakest Commenting on…
Read More
what is happening to house prices
Letting Agent Talk

Smart Upgrades: Boosting Rental Property Value Without Breaking the Bank

Most landlords don’t have a vault of gold stashed away for renovations. If you do, good for you (and maybe hide it better?). But for the rest of us, improving a rental property usually means walking a tightrope between cost and ROI. So what can you actually do that won’t drain your savings, and still…
Read More
Home and Living

Creating the Perfect Rental: Balancing Aesthetics, Functionality, and ROI

Let’s get this out of the way: “perfect” is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that title. Because, really, no rental is perfect. Not for everyone. Not forever. But if you’re aiming to create a rental that looks good, works well, and pays you back in more than just stress headaches? You’re in the…
Read More
Letting Agent Talk

The Landlord’s Guide to Hassle-Free Maintenance and Long-Term Tenant Satisfaction

Do you own rental property? If yes, you already know that you are being put on a test: keeping things running smoothly while somehow managing not to lose your mind (or your best tenants). Maintenance. It’s not fun. But neglect it, and your rental becomes a revolving door of disappointed tenants and mounting repair bills.…
Read More