Homelessness on the rise in Britain

The latest report from housing charity Shelter has revealed a further rise in the number of people recorded as homeless in Britain. In 2016, the first year the Shelter reported figures, there were thought to be 295,000 homeless people in the country. That figure rose to 307,000 last year and has now reached 320,000. The figure take into account people sleeping rough, living in temporary accommodation and the number of hostel places that are taken up. The totals are said to be conservative estimates and fail to account for people unknown to authorities.

Commenting on the new report, Shelter chief executive Polly Neate said that: "These new figures show that homelessness is having a devastating impact on the lives of people right across the country. Due to the perfect storm of spiralling rents, welfare cuts and a total lack of social housing, record numbers of people are sleeping out on the streets or stuck in the cramped confines of a hostel room." Adding: "We desperately need action now to change tomorrow for the hundreds of thousands whose lives will be blighted by homelessness this winter."