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Hundreds in Coventry living in temporary accommodation
The number of households living in temporary accommodation in England has topped 100,000 for the first time in nearly 20 years – and over 700 are in Coventry. There were 702 households living in temporary accommodation in Coventry at the end of December 2022, according to the latest data from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Over 400 of those have dependent children, meaning 1,023 kids in our city were living without a permanent home. Elsewhere in Warwickshire, there were 33 households living in temporary accommodation, 130 of which had dependent children.
Nationally, 101,300 households were living in temporary accommodation. The number has more than doubled from the 50,400 that were in that situation in 2010 when the Conservative-led coalition came to power.
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It’s up by 5% from the same point in 2021, and by 15% from December 2019, before the start of the covid-19 pandemic.
A total of 130 households were living in bed and breakfasts in Coventry, though none of those had dependent children. London has more households in temporary accommodation than anywhere else in the country.
A total of 58,370 households, including 38,480 with kids, were without a permanent home at the end of December 2022. That works out as 16.2 for every 1,000 households in the capital.
The borough of Redbridge tops the list with 26.2 of every 1,000 households living in temporary accommodation. That includes a total of 4,225 children. Southwark is next at 25.8 households per 1,000, followed by Hackney (24.6), Wandsworth (23.5), and Westminster (23.2).
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Too many families in the private rented sector are one no-fault eviction notice away from homelessness and temporary accommodation. The cost of living crisis coupled with a fiercely competitive private rental market means that many families who are evicted simply can’t find anywhere else to live and have to turn to their council for help.
“We’ve now hit a record high of over 100,000 households who are homeless in damaging temporary accommodation. For families this can mean having to move halfway across the country with their children, living in a grim converted office block or sharing the bathroom of a dodgy B&B with strangers.
“Struggling renters are tired of waiting for these reforms that have been promised for four long years. If the government is serious about preventing growing homelessness, it must immediately bring forward the long-promised Renters’ Reform Bill which will scrap Section 21 no-fault evictions for good.”
A DLUHC spokesperson said: “Over 600,000 households have been prevented from becoming homeless or supported into settled accommodation since 2018 but we know there is more to be done to help families at risk of losing their homes. We are giving councils £1 billion through the Homelessness Prevention Grant over three years, to help them prevent and tackle homelessness targeted in areas where it is needed most.
“This is on top of £26 billion cost-of-living support this year – helping those most in need. Local authorities have a duty to ensure no family is without a roof over their head and temporary accommodation plays an important role in this. Our forthcoming renters’ reforms will deliver a fairer, more secure, and higher quality private rented sector, reducing the risk of tenants becoming homeless.”
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