Many more children may be set to go homeless this Christmas in Britain, this trend makes it the highest in 12 years as 135,000 young people are currently without a home or living in temporary accommodation.
This is according to figures reported in analysis of data by charity Shelter, it was revealed that a child currently becomes homeless every eight minutes, meaning 4,026 children are set to lose their homes between now and Christmas day.
The report shows the number of families with children in temporary accommodation has increased by 11 per cent in England and 46 per cent in Wales since 2014 – while in Scotland it has dropped by 14 per cent.
Campaigners are warning that a lack of social housing, expensive private rents and welfare cuts over the past decade has left tens of thousands of children living in unsuitable temporary living conditions.
Reacting to the reports, chief executive of Shelter, Polly Neate, decried the circumstance, stressing that it is “scandalous” that 183 children were becoming homeless every day. He called on the government to turn political promises about tackling homelessness must be turned into “real action”.
John Healey, Labour’s shadow housing secretary, said rising homelessness was a “direct result” of the the Tories “slashing” of investment in new low-cost homes and “huge cuts” to housing benefit and homelessness services.
