The number of homeless families in the UK has risen by more than 60% and is “likely to have been driven” by the government’s welfare reforms, the public spending watchdog has said.
Homelessness of all kinds has increased “significantly” over the last six years, said the NAO (National Audit Office). It accused the government of having a “light touch approach” to tackling the problem.
The government said it was investing £550m by 2020 to address the issue. There has been a 60% rise in households living in temporary accommodation – which includes 120,540 children – since 2010/11, the NAO said.
A snapshot overnight count last autumn found there were 4,134 rough sleepers – an increase of 134% since the Conservatives came into government, it added.
Four-year freeze
A report by the watchdog found rents in England have risen at the same time as households have seen a cut to some benefits.
Homelessness cost more than £1bn a year to deal with, it said.
Reforms to the local housing allowance are “likely to have contributed” to making it more expensive for claimants to rent privately and “are an element of the increase in homelessness,” the report added. Read more
