Money Wellness
A homeless man with a 'homeless and hungry' sign
category iconcost of living
category iconrent & utility help
calendar icon27 Oct 2023

Homelessness hits all-time high

More people are turning to their local councils for help as homelessness levels hit a record high, new figures have shown.

Data analysed by the Local Government Association (LGA) reveals the number of households in England living in temporary accommodation has increased by 89% over the past ten years.

At the end of March this year, 104,000 households were living in temporary accommodation.

This is the highest figure since records began in 1998.

Not enough social housing

A shortage of social housing means people are being placed in private temporary accommodation, including hotels and B&Bs. This has cost councils at least £1.74bn in 2022/23.

Call for action

The LGA is calling on the government to:

  • increase the rates used to calculate housing benefit so that they cover the bottom 30% of local rents
  • reform Right to Buy so councils keep all the money generated and are allowed to use more of it to build replacement homes
  • allow council landlords to increase rents every year for at least ten years
  • provide more money for councils to build more social homes

Healthier and happier communities

Darren Rodwell from the Local Government Association said:

“Councils need to be given the powers and resources to build enough social homes for their residents so they can create a more prosperous place to live, with healthier and happier communities.”

Avatar of Rebecca Routledge

Rebecca Routledge

A qualified journalist for over 15 years with a background in financial services. Rebecca is Money Wellness’s consumer champion, helping you improve your financial wellbeing by providing information on everything from income maximisation to budgeting and saving tips.

Related posts

cost of living

07 Dec 2023

TV licence fee to rise next year

The TV licence will increase by £10.50 from next April. find out what it means for you

cost of living

05 Dec 2023

Help for families who can’t afford Christmas presents for the kids

Millions of households will struggle to afford Christmas presents this year. Here's a list of the charities and organisations who help make sure every child wakes up to a gift from Santa

cost of living

05 Dec 2023

Households buying less veg because of cost of living pressures

Low-income families can’t afford to buy fresh vegetables due to huge price increases. Find out how to get cheap or free fruit and veg

cost of living

05 Dec 2023

Inflation-linked TV licence fee increase could be blocked

£15 increase to the TV licence fee may be reduced due to cost-of-living squeeze

Average Customer Rating:
4.9/5
Independent Service Rating based on 4013 verified reviews. Read all reviews