Have a question?
033 3772 0409

Housing Solicitors

New government report says welfare changes and lack of social housing have fuelled homelessness (19 August 2016)

Date: 19/08/2016
Duncan Lewis, Housing Solicitors, New government report says welfare changes and lack of social housing have fuelled homelessness

A new Select Committee inquiry into homelessness has found that tenancies in the private rented sector, the availability of social housing and changes to the welfare system have all played a part in rates of homelessness across the country.

The report by the Communities and Local Government Committee said that the ending of an Assured Short-hold Tenancy (AST) could be a major cause of homelessness in England. The number of people who have become homeless following the end of an AST has spiralled by 250% in the last five years.

Local Housing Allowance (LHA) – a flat rate of housing benefit paid to claimants living in the private rented sector – is also means tested, with the level of payment dependent on individual circumstances.

The report also states that the shortage of social housing adds pressure to the private rented sector, with figures from housing charity Shelter showing that the total number of social homes in England has fallen by 26% since 1979 – from 5,540,000 to 4,076,000 homes in the social housing sector.

The report also says that housing associations are becoming more commercial, which has also impacted on homelessness figures. SHORE (Sussex Homeless Outreach Reconnection & Engagement) says that landlords are becoming more risk averse:

“…financial pressures are leading to social landlords becoming more selective over which tenants they take on, threatening an increasingly large number of people on lower incomes with homelessness.

“For rough sleepers with multiple and complex needs, reductions in social housing reduces their housing options close to zero.”

The report also states that changes to the welfare system since 2010 have reduced the level of support for low-income households and those at risk of homelessness.

The 2016 Homelessness Monitor by Crisis and Joseph Rowntree Foundation also identifies the weakening of welfare provision as a factor – including the government restriction of housing benefits and tax credits, which now only include provision for the first two children of any family.

The annual Homelessness Monitor cites this change as a cause in the increase in homelessness:

“…there are concerns that families with more than two children may find both affordable rented and social rented housing, not only in London but also in much of the rest of the country, beyond their means”.

The Select Committee report also says that more councils are choosing to place homeless families outside their administrative boundaries, contrary to
Section 208 of the Housing Act 1996, which requires that where it is “reasonably practicable”, local authorities should secure accommodation within their administrative boundary.

The report says that the combination of a limited supply of social housing and rising costs in many areas – particularly in London – means “some authorities are increasingly looking to house homeless households in cheaper areas outside their administrative boundaries”.

“According to Shelter, the number of households placed outside their home area has increased by over 200 per cent since 2010,” the report states.

The authors also say the homelessness can be complex – with many people constituting the “hidden homeless”:

“The problem of homelessness is multi-faceted. Much of the difficulty in quantifying it stems from the fact that the term ‘homelessness’ encompasses a wide range of experiences.

“Rough sleeping (people living and sleeping on the streets and in shop doorways) is the most visible form of homelessness, but there are many more people homeless than those on the streets.

“These ‘hidden homeless’ include people in night shelters and also large numbers of people who have unstable arrangements, such as sofa-surfing with friends and family. There have also been reports of people spending the night travelling on buses to avoid the streets.”

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors

Duncan Lewis housing solicitors offer specialist legal advice to homeowners on debt management and mortgage repossession – including advice on IVAs, re-mortgaging and debt consolidation.

Duncan Lewis can also advise on unlawful eviction and the council’s obligation to re-house – as well as advising tenants in the public and private sectors on landlord and tenant disputes, disrepair, tenancy agreements, housing possession, Housing Benefit and nuisance neighbours.

Duncan Lewis also advises landlords on their obligations under the Housing Act.

For expert legal advice on housing matters, call Duncan Lewis housing solicitors on 0333 772 0409.


For all Housing related matter contact us now.Contact Us

Call us now on 033 3772 0409 or click here to send online enquiry.
Duncan Lewis is the trading name of Duncan Lewis (Solicitors) Limited. Registered Office is 143-149 Fenchurch St, London, EC3M 6BL. Company Reg. No. 3718422. VAT Reg. No. 718729013. A list of the company's Directors is displayed at the registered offices address. Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority . Offices all across London and in major cities in the UK. ©Duncan Lewis >>Legal Disclaimer, Copyright & Privacy Policy. Duncan Lewis do not accept service by email.