Homelessness at highest rate since records began

Some 79,840 households faced homelessness in England between January and March 2023 – the highest number on record, Shelter research has revealed.

According to the charity a major contributing factor is the instability of private renting, as the loss of a private tenancy is now the leading cause.

This accounts for 29% of households who are homeless or threatened with homelessness.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said:

“With record numbers of people becoming homeless, the time for empty words on building social homes and overdue promises on ending no fault evictions has long past.

“No-fault evictions are fuelling homelessness and throwing thousands of families’ lives into turmoil.

“We need decisive action, not lip service, before this crisis gets even worse.

“When MPs return from their summer break in September, the Renters Reform Bill needs to come back with them, and it must be made law at the earliest opportunity.

“But to end homelessness for good, we need genuinely affordable homes.

“The Secretary of State, Michael Gove, agrees social homes are essential to solving the housing emergency, so it’s time for his government to get on and build them.”

Shelter blamed rental problems on the instability of Section 21 no fault evictions, which allow landlords to evict a tenant with two months’ notice without having to give a reason.

Some 24,060 households were threatened with homelessness as a result of a Section 21 no-fault eviction in the last year – up by 21% compared to the previous 12 months.

In May, the government published its Renters (Reform) Bill to ban Section 21 evictions and introduce overdue protections for renters, but since then the Bill hasn’t progressed through Parliament. Shelter urged the government to prioritise the Bill as soon as it returns from summer recess.

To ease the pressure on private renting Shelter urged Michael Gove, housing secretary, to kickstart the building of tens of thousands of new homes for social rent.

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