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North West Councils
receive over 31,000 pleas for help from people on the brink of homelessness
SHELTER appeals for urgent support
as advice helpline is stretched to its limits. In the last year, local
councils in the North West have been inundated with over 31,000 requests for
help from people on the brink of homelessness, new analysis from Shelter
reveals.
The shocking findings, based on government statistics, show that the number
of requests has risen by 96% in the last 5 years. In the last year, more
than 3,600 households in the region ultimately lost their struggle and were
made officially homeless.
Sadly, the figures come as no surprise to housing and homelessness charity
Shelter, whose advisers have been inundated with calls for help.
In the last year alone, the number of calls to Shelter's free helpline from
the North West reached more than 40,300. And shockingly, 1 in 5 of the calls
they were able to answer came from people who faced losing their home within
a month.
The charity is calling on the public for urgent support, as its advisers
brace themselves for even more calls this Christmas season. With many
councils feeling the pressure of England's affordable housing shortage,
having a Shelter adviser to support families can make the difference between
them losing their home and keeping it.
Campbell Robb, Shelter's Chief Executive said:- "It's truly
devastating to hear that so many people; including families with children;
are teetering on the brink of homelessness. It's heart breaking to imagine
one child waking up homeless and in unstable temporary accommodation on
Christmas morning, yet we know that over 100,000 children across the country
are facing exactly that fate. Sadly, the combination of our affordable
housing shortage and cuts to welfare means that more and more parents are
finding themselves struggling to keep a stable roof over their children's
heads. That's why we desperately need the public's support this Christmas,
to help us be there so that no family has to fight homelessness on their
own."
For example Francesca and her 2 children
became homeless after her mother, who they were living with, unexpectedly
became a guardian to 2 young family members and there was no longer room for
her family. With nowhere else to go, they were forced to live in 1 room of a
hostel for 7 months. Luckily, with the help of Shelter advisers, she was
able to leave the hostel and create a better future for her children.
"It was an incredibly difficult time for us. My daughter's grades
suffered because the baby would keep her up all night. It was also hard for
her to keep her friendships going because she couldn't bring any of them
over to play. When you're in a hostel it doesn't feel like you've got a
future, you can't look ahead, you can't see a way out. It's like being in a
big black hole and there's no light. Luckily I spoke to an adviser from
Shelter who eventually helped us find a better place to live. If it wasn't
for them, I don't where we'd be now; we're so grateful to have had their
support."
To support Shelter's emergency Christmas appeal please visit:-
Shelter.Org.UK
or text:- 'SHELTER' to 70060 to donate £3. |
