This comes as the Government publishes its latest affordable house building figures which show that just 9,500 social homes were built last year

Today (30th November), new Government data has revealed that the number of households trapped in temporary accommodation in England is now at the highest level since records began. The figures show that, between April and June 2023, the number of households living in temporary accommodation rose by 10.5% compared to the same quarter last year, to 105,750 - this includes nearly 140,000 children.

The figures also show:

• The number of households with dependent children increased by 13.8% compared to the same quarter last year.
• 14,090 households were living in unsuitable B&B accommodation, this has increased by 37.6% from last year.
• The number of households in B&B accommodation with dependent children has increased by 93.1% since last year.
• The number of households facing homelessness and approaching their council for help rose by 4.1% compared to the same quarter last year, to 76,760.

The latest homelessness statistics come as the Government also publishes its latest affordable house building figures, which show that just 9,500 social homes were built last year.

Matt Downie, Crisis Chief Executive, said: “It’s a disgrace that only 9,500 social homes have been built in the last 12 months when today’s figures show that, once again, we have a record number of households trapped in temporary accommodation.

“This failure to address the chronic shortage of genuinely affordable homes is having severe and wide-ranging consequences across England. What these statistics don’t show is the immeasurable human impact homelessness has on people’s lives: renters having the rug pulled from under them when an eviction notice lands on their door; people forced to spend hours travelling to work because their temporary accommodation is miles away from their job; thousands of children who will likely have never known a home, or room, of their own.

“What more evidence does the Westminster Government need before they take action? A few thousand affordable homes is simply not enough. We need a major programme of social house building – with at least 90,000 built a year - if we are to address the growing inequality across this country and tackle homelessness for good.”

-Ends-

Notes to Editor

Statutory homelessness data can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statutory-homelessness-in-england-april-to-june-2023

Data on affordable housing supply can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-affordable-housing-supply#live-tables