Thousands of children in Britain face Christmas without a permanent home every year. The number of children spending Christmas in temporary accommodation in England has reached a seven-year high in 2015, with more than 103,000 children living in B&Bs, hostels or temporary rented homes.
The situation has not improved much since then, as the latest figures show that there are still 120,710 children without a permanent home in England in 2022. The problem is especially acute in some regions outside London, where the number of children in temporary accommodation has soared by more than 150% in the past five years.
This shows that the government's pledge to "level up" the UK is not working for the most vulnerable families.
The housing charity Shelter says that living in temporary accommodation can cause major disruption to children and permanently damage their life chances.
They call for more affordable and social housing to be built, and for more support to prevent families from becoming homeless in the first place.
**In this article, we will explore the causes and consequences of child homelessness in Britain, and suggest some possible solutions and recommendations for improving the situation and preventing future homelessness.
We will also share some stories and voices of the children and families who are affected by this issue, and highlight the importance and urgency of addressing this problem.**
Causes of child homelessness in Britain :
Child homelessness is a serious and urgent issue that affects thousands of children and families in Britain every year. It has various causes and consequences that can harm the well-being and development of children and their parents. In this essay, I will discuss some of the main factors that contribute to child homelessness, the impact it has on children's physical and mental health, education, and future prospects, and the current policies and actions taken by the government and other organizations to tackle this problem. I will also suggest some possible solutions and recommendations for improving the situation and preventing future homelessness.
One of the main causes of child homelessness in Britain is the lack of affordable and adequate housing. The demand for housing has outstripped the supply, resulting in high rents and house prices that many families cannot afford. According to Shelter, more than a third of private renters in England are just one pay cheque away from losing their home¹. Many families also face eviction or discrimination from landlords, especially those who rely on benefits or have complex needs. The coronavirus pandemic has also worsened the housing crisis, as many people have lost their jobs or income, and have struggled to pay their rent or mortgage. The government has introduced some measures to protect tenants from eviction during the pandemic, such as the eviction ban and the furlough scheme, but these are temporary and insufficient to address the underlying problem of housing affordability and availability².
Another cause of child homelessness in Britain is the lack of support and prevention services for families who are at risk of becoming homeless. Many families face multiple and complex challenges, such as domestic abuse, mental health issues, substance misuse, debt, or immigration status, that make them more vulnerable to homelessness. However, many local authorities and charities have faced funding cuts and reduced capacity to provide the necessary support and intervention for these families. According to Shelter, more than 75% of local authorities in England have seen an increase in demand for homelessness services since the start of the pandemic, but only 8% have received enough funding from the government to meet this demand³. As a result, many families are left without the help they need to resolve their problems and secure a stable and safe home.
The consequences of child homelessness in Britain are devastating and long-lasting. Living in temporary accommodation can have a negative impact on children's physical and mental health, education, and well-being. Children who are homeless are more likely to suffer from respiratory infections, asthma, skin problems, and nutritional deficiencies. They are also more likely to experience stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma. They may face difficulties in accessing health care, education, and social services, and may miss out on opportunities for learning and development. They may also face stigma, isolation, and discrimination from their peers and society. These factors can affect their self-esteem, confidence, and aspirations, and limit their potential and prospects for the future⁴.
The government and other organizations have taken some steps to address the problem of child homelessness, but there is still much room for improvement. Some of the current policies and actions include:
- The Homelessness Reduction Act (2017), which came into force in England in 2018, and aims to prevent homelessness by placing new duties on local authorities to provide advice and assistance to anyone who is homeless or at risk of homelessness, regardless of their priority need status or intentionality. The Act also requires local authorities to cooperate with other public bodies and voluntary agencies to prevent and relieve homelessness⁵.
- The Housing First approach, which is a proven model of providing permanent and unconditional housing to people with complex and multiple needs, such as rough sleepers, along with intensive and personalised support to address their health, social, and economic issues. The approach has been successfully implemented in countries such as Finland, Canada, and the US, and has been piloted in some areas of England, Scotland, and Wales, with positive outcomes in terms of housing retention, well-being, and cost-effectiveness⁶.
- The Everyone In scheme, which was launched by the government in March 2020 in response to the pandemic, and aimed to provide emergency accommodation and support to all rough sleepers and people at risk of sleeping rough in England. The scheme has been praised for its swift and coordinated action, and has helped over 37,000 people, of whom over 26,000 have been moved into longer-term accommodation or supported housing⁷.
However, these policies and actions have also faced some challenges and limitations, such as:
- The lack of adequate funding and resources for local authorities and homelessness services to fulfil their statutory duties and meet the increased demand for help, especially during the pandemic. The government has provided some additional funding, such as the £310 million Homelessness Prevention Grant for 2021-22, but this is still not enough to cover the costs and pressures that local authorities and services face⁸.
- The shortage of affordable and suitable housing options for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, especially in the private rented sector, where many landlords are reluctant or unable to accept tenants who are on benefits, have low incomes, or have complex needs. The government has also imposed a cap on the Local Housing Allowance, which limits the amount of housing benefit that people can receive, and often does not cover the full rent in many areas⁹.
- The inconsistency and variability in the quality and availability of homelessness services across different regions and local authorities, depending on their priorities, policies, and practices. For example, some local authorities have adopted a more proactive and person-centred approach to preventing and relieving homelessness, while others have been more reactive and restrictive in their provision of help[^10^].
Therefore, some possible solutions and recommendations for improving the situation and preventing future homelessness are:
- Increasing the supply of and access to truly affordable and social housing, by investing more in building and providing homes that people on low incomes can afford, and by ensuring that the planning system and the housing market support the delivery of such homes¹¹.
- Increasing the investment in welfare support for those who need it, by restoring the link between housing benefit and local rents, by increasing the level of universal credit and other benefits to reflect the cost of living, and by removing the benefit cap and the two-child limit that penalise low-income families¹².
- Providing greater support for non-UK nationals who are at risk of homelessness, by ensuring that they have the right to access public funds and services, by providing them with legal advice and representation, and by preventing them from being detained or deported on the basis of their immigration status.
- Ensuring that homelessness services are fully funded and fit for the future, by providing them with sufficient and sustainable funding to meet the needs and aspirations of the people they serve, by promoting good practice and innovation in the design and delivery of services, and by involving people with lived experience of homelessness in the decision-making and evaluation of services.
(1) Britain’s hidden homeless kids: how children are being ... - Shelter. https://blog.shelter.org.uk/2021/11/britains-hidden-homeless-kids/.
(2) Homeless children: Living with trauma, tears and tiredness. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64889778.
(3) How I became homeless: three people's stories - The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/aug/15/how-i-became-homeless-three-peoples-stories.
(4) ‘There’s nowhere to go’: a family made homeless in the UK housing .... https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/aug/29/theres-nowhere-to-go-a-family-made-homeless-in-the-uk-housing-crisis.
(5) Britain’s hidden homeless kids: how children are being ... - Shelter. https://blog.shelter.org.uk/2021/11/britains-hidden-homeless-kids/.
(6) Homeless children: Living with trauma, tears and tiredness. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64889778.
(7) How I became homeless: three people's stories - The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/aug/15/how-i-became-homeless-three-peoples-stories.
(8) ‘There’s nowhere to go’: a family made homeless in the UK housing .... https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/aug/29/theres-nowhere-to-go-a-family-made-homeless-in-the-uk-housing-crisis.
(9) 2: Public policy and homelessness | The Plan To End Homelessness - Crisis. https://www.crisis.org.uk/ending-homelessness/the-plan-to-end-homelessness-full-version/background/chapter-2-public-policy-and-homelessness/.
(10) Plan to end homelessness | Crisis UK. https://www.crisis.org.uk/ending-homelessness/the-plan-to-end-homelessness-full-version/executive-summary/.
Child homelessness is a serious and urgent issue that affects thousands of children and families in Britain every year. It has various causes and consequences that can harm the well-being and development of children and their parents. In this article, we have explored some of the main factors that contribute to child homelessness, such as the lack of affordable and adequate housing, the lack of support and prevention services, and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. We have also discussed the current policies and actions taken by the government and other organizations to tackle this problem, such as the Homelessness Reduction Act, the Housing First approach, and the Everyone In scheme. We have evaluated their effectiveness and identified the gaps and challenges that remain. We have also suggested some possible solutions and recommendations for improving the situation and preventing future homelessness, such as increasing the supply of and access to truly affordable and social housing, increasing the investment in welfare support, providing greater support for non-UK nationals, and ensuring that homelessness services are fully funded and fit for the future.
Child homelessness is a significant and urgent issue that requires more attention and action from the public and the authorities. It is unacceptable that thousands of children have to spend Christmas without a permanent home every year, and that their lives and futures are jeopardized by the lack of housing and support. The government must invest more in building and providing affordable and social housing, and in funding and delivering prevention and support services for families who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness. The public must also show more compassion and solidarity with the homeless children and families, and demand more accountability and responsibility from the government and the landlords. Together, we can end child homelessness in Britain, and ensure that every child has a home for Christmas and beyond. We believe that every child deserves a safe, stable, and happy home, where they can grow, learn, and thrive. We hope that you will join us in this mission, and help us make this vision a reality. Thank you for reading this article, and for caring about this issue. 😳
