'Appalling' number of Yorkshire families becoming homeless

Shocking figures have revealed the number of families in Yorkshire and the Humber seeking support for homelessness is on the rise.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government data showed 7,900 families underwent an initial assessment for homelessness from April to June in Yorkshire. This is up from the 7,110 reported in the same timeframe in 2023, and consequently resulted in a requirement for support for 7,620 households.

The figures also showed 3,450 Yorkshire and the Humber households were in temporary accommodation as of June.

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In England, the number of households which needed homelessness assistance surged by 10 per cent within the past year, with nearly 91,000 cases assessed in the quarter ending June. Out of these evaluations, 83,240 households were identified as in need of 'a duty to prevent or relieve homelessness', obliging housing authorities to aid in averting their homelessness or assist them in finding accommodation if already without a home.

A homeless charity has described the increasing predicament of household homelessness across the country as "appalling" and called on the Government to seriously and strategically address this escalating problem. This situation comes in the wake of the Government announcing an extra £233 million funding to be dedicated in 2025-26 towards combating homelessness, bringing the total funds allocated to £1 billion.

Below, we have listed the state of homelessness in Yorkshire according to authority area.

Kirklees

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2024: 443

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2023: 384

• Households needing help April-June, 2024: 439

• Households in temporary accommodation in June 2024: 426

Calderdale

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2024: 284

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2023: 258

• Households needing help April-June, 2024: 279

• Households in temporary accommodation in June 2024: 110

Leeds

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2024: 1,383

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2023: 1,119

• Households needing help April-June, 2024: 1,360

• Households in temporary accommodation in June 2024: 334

Bradford

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2024: 605

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2023: 560

• Households needing help April-June, 2024: 560

• Households in temporary accommodation in June 2024: 331

Sheffield

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2024: 948

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2023: 933

• Households needing help April-June, 2024: 923

• Households in temporary accommodation in June 2024: 757

Rotherham

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2024: 366

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2023: 276

• Households needing help April-June, 2024: 348

Doncaster

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2024: 584

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2023: 598

• Households needing help April-June, 2024: All

• Households in temporary accommodation in June 2024: 238

Barnsley

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2024: 235

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2023: 201

• Households needing help April-June, 2024: 219

• Households in temporary accommodation in June 2024: 39

North Yorkshire

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2024: 642

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2023: 668

• Households needing help April-June, 2024: 634

• Households in temporary accommodation in June 2024: 228

York

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2024: 213

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2023: 204

• Households needing help April-June, 2024: All

• Households in temporary accommodation in June 2024: 57

East Yorkshire

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2024: 329

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2023: 272

• Households needing help April-June, 2024: 303

• Households in temporary accommodation in June 2024: 204

Hull

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2024: 883

• Households who had initial homelessness assessment April-June, 2023: 833

• Households needing help April-June, 2024: 798

• Households in temporary accommodation in June 2024: 173

Balbir Kaur Chatrik, Centrepoint's Director of Policy, said: "It is simply appalling that tens of thousands of households are facing homelessness."

She advocated for the construction of 90,000 social houses per year, whilst cautioning that "it is not a quick fix". Additionally, she emphasised the need for a "cross-departmental strategy" to effectively confront the mounting issue of homelessness.

Polly Neate, the CEO of Shelter, said: "Devastatingly we're seeing the housing emergency continue to escalate, with more and more people showing up to their council facing homelessness, desperate for help."

She highlighted how skyrocketing rents, increasing evictions, and a shortage of affordable social homes are pushing more individuals into homelessness, stressing that local councils are overwhelmed by the demand and are resorting to placing people in subpar and unsuitable housing. She underscored the necessity for action, stating: "The only way to end homelessness for good is for the Government to build 90,000 genuinely affordable social homes a year for 10 years."

Ms Chatrik echoed these sentiments, drawing attention to the surging numbers of people relying on temporary accommodation when turning to local authorities for aid, emphasizing that the related expenses "have not been sustainable for years".

In England, there were 123,100 households in temporary accommodation as of June an increase from the previous year's figure of 105,750. The situation for children is particularly dire, with nearly 159,400 children experiencing homelessness in temporary housing nationwide a 15 per cent increase from the previous year and the highest number since records began in 2004.

Rushanara Ali, minister for homelessness, said: "It is a scandal that so many children are waking up in temporary accommodation."

"We have inherited the consequences of years of failure to grip the housing crisis with families facing the brutal uncertainty and trauma of homelessness.

"We are taking decisive action to get the homes we need built and our dedicated inter-ministerial group, led by the Deputy Prime Minister, is working at pace across government to get us back on track to end homelessness for good.

"We will deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and tackle one of the biggest drivers of homelessness by ending no fault evictions."

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