Housing Justice News Release 18 December 2006
For immediate release
Housing Justice highlights injustice of families spending an unhappy Christmas in temporary accommodation
Christian homelessness charity Housing Justice today called on the government to build more homes to end the injustice of families who will be spending an unhappy Christmas this year in temporary accommodation.
The latest government homelessness figures show that homelessness acceptances by local authorities are at a 20 year low but that 93,090 households in England and Wales are accommodated in temporary accommodation under the terms of the homelessness legislation. This figure is 8% less than the same period in 2005 but more than double the level of when Labour came to power in 1997.
The charity is calling on the government to build more family homes so that in the future children will not to have to face Christmas without a secure home.
Alison Gelder, Chief Executive of Housing Justice, commented “Using the government figures we estimate that there are at least 170,000 children facing an unhappy Christmas this year in temporary accommodation. The government must act to end this situation – we are the fourth richest country in the world so why must they suffer this injustice every day? The government must commit itself to building more family housing to solve the problem in next year’s comprehensive spending review.”
She continued “the 93,000 families in temporary accommodation are just one of the injustices churches will be thinking about on Homelessness Sunday on 28 January 2007. Other areas we will be looking at include the injustices suffered by homeless people on the streets and in hostels, people in poor housing, Gypsies and Travellers denied sites and destitute asylum seekers and workers from countries such as Poland who have no access to benefits or housing. We will be encouraging Christians to think about these and other injustices and offering practical suggestions for action that churches and individuals can take.”
To support churches Housing Justice has produced a Homelessness Sunday resource pack which includes worship ideas, material for use with children's and youth groups and facts, figures and stories to enable Christians to consider the plight of those suffering from the injustice of homelessness in all its forms. The packs are available from Housing Justice for £5.50. For further information on the packs see www.homelessness-sunday.org.uk or please contact Ellen Byrne on 020 7723 7273 or email hs@housingjustice.org.uk.
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Government homelessness figures are published quarterly by the Department of Communities and Local Government – see www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1002882&PressNoticeID=2309
About Homelessness Sunday 28 January 2007
Homelessness Sunday, now in its fifteenth year, is a day of ecumenical prayer and action marked by over 2,000 churches and local communities in England, Scotland and Wales. Churches are encouraged to work with local homelessness projects and other bodies to think about the problems of Homelessness in all its forms.
Homelessness Sunday is organised by the Homelessness Sunday Partnership of Housing Justice, Housing Justice Wales and Scottish Churches Housing Action. Homelessness Sunday is supported and endorsed by a wide range of denominations and organisations. Homelessness Sunday resource packs are available from Housing Justice for £5.50. For further information or to order the packs please contact Ellen Byrne on 020 7723 7273 or email hs@housingjustice.org.uk.
About Housing Justice
Housing Justice is the national voice of Christian action to prevent homelessness and bad housing.
Housing Justice was formed in April 2003 by the merger of two long-standing housing charities, the Catholic Housing Aid Society (CHAS) and the Churches National Housing Coalition (CNHC). In January 2006 Housing Justice merged with UNLEASH (Church Action on Homelessness in London). Housing Justice brings together more than 60 years 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. In total Housing Justice is actively involved in more than 35 communities across England and Wales.
The Housing Justice CHAS network of 12 housing advice centres –in Bradford, Bristol, Croydon, Dewsbury, Halifax, Huddersfield, Kingston upon Thames, Leeds, Central London, Middlesbrough, Oswestry and York- provide practical support to people with housing and related problems.
Housing Justice UNLEASH works to support church-based housing and homelessness projects in London.
Housing Justice Regenerate, funded by the government'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 learning 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.
Further information on Housing Justice is available at www.housingjustice.org.uk
Contact
Luke Evans 020 7723 7273
email info@housingjustice.org.uk