News

The number of people becoming homeless in England has fallen by 6 per cent from 2003-4, according to government statistics released today by John Prescott’s office, writes Maria Ahmed.

New homelessness cases have fallen for the fifth consecutive time, while there has been a 23 per cent reduction over the last year in the number of households living in bed and breakfast accommodation, the figures published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister show.

Less than six per cent of all households in temporary accommodation, including vulnerable single people, are in bed and breakfast hotels, compared to the historic peak of 47 per cent in 1987.

The figures, published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, also showed that 38 per cent of homeless applications were made by people whose parents, relatives or friends were no longer able, or willing, to accommodate them.

A further 19 per cent of homeless applicants cited a breakdown of a relationship with a partner, with around two-thirds of these cases involving violence. An additional 12 per cent of households were homeless due to the end of an assured short-hold tenancy.

The ODPM is also publishing its new homelessness strategy today to further reduce and prevent homelessness, including a target to cut the number of households living in temporary accommodation by half by 2010.

The strategy, ‘Sustainable Communities: settled homes, changing lives,’ aims to take forward measures announced in the ODPM’s five-year plan to provide more settled homes and tackle the wider symptoms of homelessness including action on health, employment, relationship breakdown and services for children.

The ODPM’s strategy can be found at: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/homelessness