We hear conflicting headlines about homelessness - on the one hand the government claims that it is at a historic low whilst homelessness charities point to the historic high numbers of homeless families being re-housed in temporary accommodation by local authorities.
The most extreme of homelessness, rough sleeping, is at a historic low - the latest government figures show that there are around 500 people sleeping rough on any night in England and Wales. This is down from over 1,600 people in 2000. Most people would however agree that having a home is more than simply having a bed for the night - its about having somewhere permanent to call your own in a community where you can put down roots.
Anyone who is homeless or threatened with homelessness can apply to their local council for re-housing under the homelessness legislation – however, applicants are unlikely to be accepted unless they fall into one of the priority need categories specified in the legislation and are found to be unintentionally homeless – that is, they have not deliberately brought the situation on themselves – and have a local connection to the area. Interpretation of the intentionality and local connection is up to the local authorities – evidence from the Housing Justice CHAS network of housing advice centres suggests significant variance between local authorities.
Government figures show that in 2006-2007
159,330
families applied to their local council England for re-housing. Forty six percent of those that applied – 73,360 families – were accepted for rehousing by their local authority under the terms of the homelessness legislation, ie they were in priority need and unintentionally homeless.
The latest figures for homeless acceptances mark a continuing decline year on year which the government has attributed to the implementation of the 2002 Housing Act and its emphasis on preventing homelessness.
Further information on the homelessness problem in a particular area can be found in the figures published by the Department of Communities and Local Government – see the Links section for links the latest figures
Homelessness legislation
Homelessness in England and Wales is governed by the 1977 Housing (Homeless Persons) Act and the 2002 Homelessness Act. In Wales, the Homeless Persons (Priority Need) order of 2001 introduced new priority need categories largely in line with the 2002 Homelessness Act. The 1977 Act gave local authorities the legal duty to re-house homeless people if they fall into one of four priority need categories:
* Pregnant women.
* People with dependent children.
* People who are vulnerable due to old age, mental illness or physical or mental disability.
* People made homelessness as a result of an emergency such as a flood or fire.
The 2002 Act added five further categories of priority need:
* People aged 16 or 17.
* People under 21 who have been in local authority care.
* People over 21 who are vulnerable as a result of having been in local authority care.
* People who are vulnerable due to an institutional background such as having served in the armed forces or having spent time in prison.
* People fleeing violence or the threat of violence.
Priority need is automatic under the first two categories of the 2002 Act but vulnerability must be proved for the remaining three categories.
As well as proving that they fall into one of the priority groups to be eligible for re-housing people must prove that they are non intentionally homeless – ie have not deliberately brought the situation on themselves
‘Hidden’ homeless
Many homeless people do not approach their local authority for help because they know they do not fall into one of the priority need categories and so are unlikely to be re-housed.
The charity Crisis estimates that there are up to 400,000 hidden homeless people in England – these are single people who live in crowded accommodation, squats and hostels as well as those sleeping on friends’ floors and sofas. People in this group do not show up in official figures.
Who is homeless?
Government figures show that of those accepted in 2006–2007 by local authorities for re-housing…
- 49,080 households (67% of the total) were families with children or where the mother was pregnant
- 6,390 (9%) were young people aged 16 and 17 and care leavers under 21
- 5,420 (7%) were classed as vulnerable due to mental illness
- 2,980 (4%) were vulnerable as a result of domestic violence
- 3,590 (5%) were vulnerable due to physical disability
- 1,400 (2%) were vulnerable due to old age
- And the remaining 6% were vulnerable due to reasons such as time spent in care, in custody, in the forces and from fleeing violence other than domestic violence.
The proportions for each category of priority need have not changed substantially over the last five years.
Where are people homeless?
Homelessness happens all across England and although most of it is concentrated in the large urban areas such as London, Birmingham and Greater Manchester councils in rural areas such as Nottinghamshire, Cornwall and the Peak District also report higher than average numbers of homeless people.
Reasons for homelessness
Government figures show that the three main factors that cause people to be homeless are
• Relatives or friends no longer being willing or able to provide accommodation (37% of homeless households)
• Breakdown of relationship with partner (20% of homeless households, 13% of homeless households have suffered from domestic violence)
• The end of a tenancy, loss of rented accommodation or mortgage arrears (18% of homeless people).
These results vary little from council to council and indicate that policies that aim to prevent homelessness must tackle these problems.
Further information
Homelessness figuires are collated by each local authority in England and transferred to the Communities and Local Government department which publishes them for all of England on a quarterly basis.
Latest statutory homelessness figures>>