The hidden homelessness crisis: 'what happens to those who are turned away?'

There were 59,260 people accepted as statutorily homeless in 2016. Despite this being less than half of the 2003 peak of 135,000, it represents a 48% increase since 2009. But the impact has by no means fallen evenly.

The statutory definition of homelessness is just one of a number of categories of homelessness, taking into account only individuals or families who local authorities are obliged to assist. Figures released for 2016/17 by the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) show that the largest proportion of people affected by statutory homelessness are single mothers – 47% of the overall figure, despite making up only 9.2% of households.

Research by single parent charity Gingerbread shows that a third of single parents have been affected adversely by welfare reform, while 39% are in low-paid work. Research officer Sumi Rabindrakumar says being in a precarious financial situation leaves single mothers vulnerable to rent arrears and eviction. “We’ve seen parents who’ve had to leave work because they can’t afford childcare costs,” she says.

But Rabindrakumar believes that the problem might be even worse than indicated by the official figures. Pressure on budgets is making councils increasingly reluctant to rehouse single mothers and authorities are applying ever-stricter criteria. “We’ve had a woman who was a victim of domestic violence and was told she’d made herself homeless,” she says.

Another group disproportionately vulnerable to homelessness is young people aged 16-24, who represent more than a fifth (22%) of the overall figure for statutory homelessness. Balbir Chatrik, director of policy at charity Centrepoint, believes that number should be treated with caution. Centrepoint recently used the Freedom of Information Act to find out the number of young people approaching councils about homelessness, and it was 150,000 – far higher than the recorded statistic.

“So what’s happening to those who are being turned away?” she asks.

In the past year, 71% of appeals against homelessness decisions have been successful, suggesting that some councils are turning away many people who are, in fact, eligible to be rehoused. The statistics also show that black and minority and ethnic (BAME) groups now account for 34% of all statutorily homeless people, despite making up only 11% of the UK population.

Research by Suzanne Fitzpatrick, professor of housing and social policy at Heriott-Watt University, suggests there is one factor above all that underlies most of these issues: poverty. In particular, whether a person has experienced poverty as a child is a key factor in future homelessness. “The idea that everyone is two pay cheques away from poverty is a complete myth,” she says. Fitzpatrick’s research clearly shows that young, single mothers are particularly vulnerable to becoming homeless. “Some groups are more vulnerable than others,” she says.

Of the top 10 worst areas for homelessness, only one is outside of the south-east of England: Birmingham, where the rate of homelessness has increased by 2,000% since 2009/10 – up from 157 cases then to 3,479 last year.

One charity trying to tackle this rise is the Sifa Fireside project. It hosts advisers from Shelter and also provides free legal advice through a partnership with the Central England Law Centre.

Michael Bates, manager of the Birmingham Community Law Centre, says £350m was cut from legal aid in 2013, almost completely eradicating free advice in areas such as welfare and housing. But the centre’s presence as part of the project means this help is still available – and is still vital, according to Lynn Evans, from Sifa Fireside. She points to a recent case where people were wrongly advised that they did not qualify for benefits.

“Since our intervention, the DWP has issued guidance to all jobcentres in Birmingham to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” Evans says.