New record highs in homelessness prompt calls to tackle ‘national scandal’

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Its chief executive Polly Neate said: “Without a clear plan to invest in genuinely affordable social homes, thousands more children will be forced to grow up in damaging temporary accommodation, spending months if not years living out of suitcases, crammed into grim bedsits and B&Bs, and unable to put down any roots.” Big Issue founder and crossbench peer Lord Bird, who has spoken out about his experience of growing up in poverty, described the latest figures as “appalling” and warned that “another winter looms and there’s little being done to turn this terrible tide”. This is nothing short of a national scandal Housing Secretary Angela Rayner Amnesty International UK described homelessness as a “fundamental human rights issue that should concern us all” and labelled the rise in children living in temporary accommodation “astounding”. “The latest increase means we now have more homeless children living in temporary accommodation in England than we have people living in towns and cities such as Ipswich Blackpool and York.” Tom Darling, director of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said: “While in opposition this Government pledged to end no fault evictions “immediately”, and the King’s speech last month rightly promised a ‘Renters’ Rights Bill’. “However, renters cannot afford to wait much longer – we must see legislation brought forward soon to get a grip on the situation and address the renting crisis.” The Local Government Association, which represents councils, said the section 21 ban “needs to be brought forward as quickly as possible”, adding that a “genuine cross-departmental approach to tackling this crisis, as part of a long-term government strategy, is key with councils given the powers and resources needed to address the national shortage of affordable housing”.