Shelter comments on new homelessness statistics.

June 27, 2017

Shelter’s recent comment on the ONS new homelessness statistics.

New government figures on homelessness  show:

In the last year alone, 59,090 households were accepted as homeless by their local council – a rise of 17% over the last 5 years.

A further 199,630 cases were at risk of homelessness and sought help through the council.

1 in 4 households stay in temporary accommodation for more than a year before being rehoused and a shocking 1,290 families spend more than the six-week legal limit living in B&B’s.

Anne Baxendale, director of communications, policy and campaigns at Shelter, said: “The Grenfell Tower tragedy has left people without a home and living in a dire situation, it has also thrust the issue of homelessness into the spotlight. While Shelter is calling for those affected to be placed in good quality temporary accommodation nearby, and hope officials make good on their promise to do so, we know many local authorities simply don’t have enough affordable accommodation for those on low incomes. It’s a similar story across all London boroughs and the country more widely, so it’s no surprise that today’s homelessness stats reveal the problem is getting worse nationally, with more households becoming homeless every year.

“Many of the families that come to Shelter for advice say the benefit cap is pushing them into homelessness. Many desperately want to work but can’t make up the required hours of work a week due to childcare issues or insecure work like zero hours contracts. That’s why we’re pleased today’s high court judgment, which Shelter provided evidence for, has found that the cap discriminates against lone parents with children under 2. In the words of the judge, ‘real misery is being caused to no good purpose.’ We are calling on the government to scrap the cap immediately, before it pushes even more people into homelessness.”

Source of information from Shelter.

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

Letting Agent Talk

The Flats Above the Shop Problem

Why residential property hidden inside commercial ownership keeps causing trouble By Adam Hills, Client Services Director, LRG Living Markets Somewhere in many commercial property portfolios sits a small collection of front doors that was never really part of the plan. Many large and small retailers inherit residential property portfolios by default as part of mixed-use…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Buying Alone? What Solo Buyers Need to Know Before Making an Offer on a House

Figures show that solo buyers accounted for 36.9% of Barclays’ mortgage completions in June 2026, as more people chose to step onto the property ladder without a partner beside them. Choosing independence over waiting for a joint purchase has doubled over the last 50+ years, with solo first-time buyers doubling from 15% before 1980 to…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

How to Make a New-Build Living Room Feel Less Like a Show Home

An empty new-build living room can be surprisingly difficult to furnish. The walls are freshly painted, the sockets are in place, and there is nothing to remove before decorating begins. Yet once the sofa arrives, the room can still feel unsettled: too bare in some places, awkwardly crowded in others. The answer rarely involves buying…
Read More →
Breaking News

Mortgage Borrowing Dip

Key points: Net borrowing of mortgage debt by individuals decreased to £3.9 billion in September, from £4.2 billion in August, below the previous 6-month average of £4.9 billion. Net mortgage approvals for house purchases decreased to 53,400 in September, below an average of around 58,800 over the previous 6-months. Approvals for remortgaging increased to 42,600…
Read More →
Breaking News

Autumn Budget 2026: Property industry reaction

Following today’s Autumn Budget, reaction from property industry experts on six key areas for the property market. First-time buyer support: The £4.7bn Your First Home equity loan scheme, supporting 70,000 buyers, alongside the introduction of a new First Time Buyer ISA. Inflation and borrowing costs: The extension of the fuel duty freeze, household energy support…
Read More →
Breaking News

Can you legally BAN Halloween Trick or Treaters?

People who dread the annual knock of trick-or-treaters may have more power to keep Halloween callers away than they realise. As millions of children prepare to take to the streets on October 31, a property law expert has explained what homeowners can do if they do not want strangers walking up their path or knocking…
Read More →