Record Number of Homeless Children in England

More than 172,000 children were living in temporary accommodation across England as of June, a record high, with dozens in Teignbridge, Devon. This comes as International Day for the Eradication of Poverty focuses on "ending social and institutional maltreatment by ensuring respect and effective support for families." Charities have called on the Government to unfreeze housing benefit in the upcoming Budget and publish its homelessness strategy. Despite a slight decrease in the number of homeless children in Teignbridge, the overall situation remains dire.

Key Takeaways:

• 172,420 children were living in temporary accommodation across England as of June, an 8% increase from the previous year, marking the highest number since records began.
• 67 children in Teignbridge were homeless and living in temporary accommodation at the end of June, down from 83 a year earlier.
• 85 households were homeless in Teignbridge, of which 33 had children, and 84,240 households with dependent children across England were in temporary accommodation.
• Homelessness has severe effects on children's mental health and their ability to live independently in the future, according to Centrepoint's head of policy and public affairs, Dr Lisa Doyle.
• Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern acknowledged the failure of the system to protect vulnerable people and pledged to tackle the root causes of homelessness with a £1 billion investment in 2025-26.
• Shelter's director of campaigns and policy, Mairi MacRae, emphasized the need for the Government to unfreeze local housing allowance to prevent more families from being caught in the rising tide of homelessness.

Statistics:

• 172,420 children were living in temporary accommodation across England as of June.
• 8% increase in the number of children living in temporary accommodation compared to the previous year.
• 67 children in Teignbridge were homeless and living in temporary accommodation at the end of June.
• 84,240 households with dependent children across England were in temporary accommodation.
• 85 households were homeless in Teignbridge.
• £1 billion investment in 2025-26 to tackle homelessness.
• 84 million to prevent homelessness this winter.
• 1.5 million homes to be built.
• £39 billion for the Social and Affordable Homes Programme.
• 165,000 is the estimated population of Oxford, which could fit the number of homeless children according to Shelter's director of campaigns and policy.

Sources:

• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
• Shelter
• Centrepoint
• Office for National Statistics
• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government report on homelessness
• Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern statement