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London homelessness pressures reaching ‘worst-ever levels’, councils warn
Homelessness pressures in London are approaching their “worst-ever levels” with nearly 90,000 children from the capital set to spend Christmas in temporary accommodation, boroughs have warned.
Umbrella group London Councils said spending on homelessness and rough sleeping by its 33 member authorities will rise by an extra £108m in 2020/21 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even before the virus hit, London boroughs’ homelessness costs were expected to reach £1bn by the next financial year.
Consistently cold weather and a surge in coronavirus infections threaten to put “extreme pressure” on homelessness services in the coming months, London Councils said.
More than 700 people are estimated to be sleeping on London’s streets, with around 3,000 currently in emergency accommodation.
But the availability of spaces in hostels and winter shelters – where many rough sleepers would usually go for protection from the elements – is limited because of the need to ensure social distancing can be maintained.
Several councils are converting former care homes into COVID-safe rough sleeper shelters.
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At the same time, statutory homelessness figures for London are at a 15-year high, with 62,670 households living in temporary accommodation – two-thirds of England’s total.
That figure includes 89,850 London children who are set to spend Christmas in temporary accommodation.
Temporary accommodation accounts for around 80% of boroughs’ homelessness budgets at a total sum of around £750m a year.
London Councils said reducing homelessness in the capital will require changes to the welfare system, including scrapping the five-week wait for Universal Credit, long-term funding plans for homelessness services and a boost to social housing delivery.
Darren Rodwell, executive member for housing and planning at London Councils and leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, said: “It’s hugely distressing to see homelessness in London approaching its worst-ever levels.
“With almost 90,000 children in the capital living in homeless households and set to spend Christmas in temporary accommodation, it’s obvious we can’t go on like this.
“London faces the most severe crisis in the country but homelessness is a major national challenge and the government must redouble its efforts on getting these numbers down.
“As well as skyrocketing temporary accommodation figures, councils face the nightmare scenario of extreme pressures on rough sleeper services that need to cope both with COVID-19 and cold weather snaps. And this is all taking place against a backdrop of horrendous budget constraints.”
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