Housing Justice News Release 13 December 2004
For immediate release
Homelessness is not going away just becoming more invisible
The news that more than 100,000 families are now suffering substandard conditions in temporary accommodation prove that homelessness has not gone away but just become more invisible. The government has focused its efforts on getting visible homelessness down in the form of rough sleepers off the streets but these figures prove that more invisible forms of homelessness have grown. The new figures show the number of households in accommodation arranged by local councils under homelessness laws was 100,810 at the end of September.
The Deputy Prime Minister has announced that £150 million is to be committed to help the estimated 500,000 homeless people.
"Housing Justice welcomes the announcement of an additional £150 million to tackle the scandal of homelessness. What is needed now is for the Deputy Prime Minister to show the same determination in tacking the lack of affordable housing as he has shown in bringing down the figures for street homelessness and families and bed and breakfasts," said Robina Rafferty, Chief Executive of Housing Justice.
"We will be mobilising church groups all over the country to monitor any claimed reductions in the numbers of households in temporary accommodation so that we can be sure they are real reductions and not just a mirage created by changing definitions and massaging figures."
The problem with temporary accommodation is not just about the type of tenancy people have. Families are typically moved several times before they are permanently housed.
"For families with children that means changing schools, making new friends and struggling to build a support network so that minor problems don't escalate into disasters. And there are still people who fall through the net and end up on the street," said Rafferty. "Only last week, for example, one of our advice centres was struggling to find a safe home for a seventeen year old girl and her four month old baby."
Local churches and church groups play a key role in providing help for people who are on the street and for people living in temporary accommodation. All over the country churches are opening their halls as winter night shelters now the weather is turning cold. And all year round church centres are open as drop-ins, providing advice and practical help to people in housing need.
"Last year our advice centres alone helped 18,000 households, preventing them from becoming homeless," said Alison Gelder of Housing Justice. "Yet housing advice is the Cinderella of frontline homelessness services. Most of our ten centres are struggling financially despite the wonderful work they do. We're hoping and praying that a good share of the promised £60 million for frontline services will go to independent housing advice centres like those in the Housing Justice network."
For its Homelessness Sunday campaign (30 January 2005) Housing Justice is focusing on the problems caused to more than 1 million children forced to live in temporary accommodation.
For more information on the Homelessness Sunday campaign contact Housing Justice on 020 7723 7273
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About Housing Justice
Housing Justice is the national voice of Christian action to prevent homelessness and bad housing. It was formed in April 2003 through the merger of two long-standing housing charities, the Catholic Housing Aid Society (CHAS) and the Churches National Housing Coalition (CNHC) bringing together more than 60 years of experience of working for change in the field of housing.
Housing Justice provides frontline services to people in housing need and campaigns to improve housing policy. Housing Justice funds a network of 10 housing advice agencies and numerous community projects, and develops models of good practice for frontline services that local groups can adopt. In total Housing Justice is actively involved in 35 communities across England and Wales.
Housing Justice Regenerate, funded by the Home Office’s Civil Renewal Unit, supports resident-led regeneration in 15 guide neighbourhoods across the UK. Regenerate brings together residents who have transformed their estates with those who want to embark on the regeneration process to share thinking and offer support.
Housing Justice works with and for homeless and badly housed people of all denominations, and with those who have no religious beliefs. All our services are offered to the whole community and, wherever possible, we work in partnership with others who share our values, regardless of religious beliefs.
For further information on Housing Justice see www.housingjustice.org.uk
Contact
Luke Evans 020 7723 7273
email media@housingjustice.org.uk