More than 42,000 London families set to be homeless this Christmas, data shows

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More than 42,000 London families will be homeless this Christmas, Government figures have revealed.

The capital is facing the largest homelessness crisis in the country with the number of households living in temporary accommodation at near-record levels.

There will be 165,00 Londoners living in temporary accommodation over the festive period, London Councils said.

This means they will spent the festive period in bed and breakfasts, hostels and other short-term lettings because boroughs do not have enough social housing.

Some 86,450 are homeless children, according to figures from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Darren Rodwell, London Councils’ executive member for housing and planning, said: “These heart-breaking figures show the enormous scale of family homelessness in the capital.

“With over 86,45 children set to spend Christmas in temporary accommodation arranged by their local borough, more action is needed to help hard-pressed Londoners out of homelessness and into a permanent home.”

Londoners are ten times more likely to be living in temporary accommodation than people anywhere else in England.

Data shows that in the capital 17 out of every 1,000 households are living in temporary accommodation, compared with just 1.8 households per 1,000 in the rest of England.

Mr Rodwell added: “London faces the worst crisis in the country, but because this sort of homelessness isn’t so visible many people aren’t aware how bad things are.

“Boroughs are doing all we can to support homeless families but we urgently need the government to rethink its welfare policies and to boost affordable housing in the capital.”

Shelter says it is supporting thousands of families in dire straits living in hostel rooms where parents and siblings are forced to share beds.

The charity’s chief executive Polly Neate said: “We predicted the pandemic would trigger a rising tide of evictions and our services are starting to see the reality of this now. We’re flooded with calls from families and people of all ages who are homeless or on the verge of losing their home.”

Last December the Government announced £310million of funding for councils to help prevent vulnerable people at risk of becoming homelessness during the pandemic and to assist  those living in temporary accommodation.

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