Housing Solicitors

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has been told to refrain from using potentially misleading data by the UK Statistics Authority, and warned that the UK Statistics Authority will be monitoring future statements made by the DCLG on the issue of homelessness.

This follows a series of press briefings late last year, in which the DCLG asserted that homelessness figures were at less than half of their 2003 peak. However, the briefings failed to clarify that these figures only referred to the statutory definition of homelessness. Thus, the figures only included those who the local authorities are obliged to assist – those who are considered unintentionally homeless and in a priority need category, including pregnant women, dependent children and vulnerable individuals. The figures do not include those who are given assistance under homelessness prevention and relief schemes.

Meanwhile, homelessness charities have highlighted that since 2003, councils have been receiving additional funding and power to intervene and assist with prevention and relief activity. This suggests that, although numbers within the statutory definition have decreased, there is little evidence that homelessness under a broader definition has become less of a problem.

Homelessness charities have claimed that since 2009-2010, homelessness under both definitions has risen significantly. Furthermore, the latest official figures showed that an estimated 4,134 people were forced to sleep outside in 2016, an increase by up to 16% from 2015.

Liberal Democrat Peer Baroness Grender brought the discrepancies in the DCLG statements to the attention of the UK Statistics Authority.

Director General for regulation of the UK Statistics Authority Ed Humpherson, responded to Grender’s concerns in a letter expressing his disappointment at the actions of the DCLG. Humpherson expressed further disappointment that this follows a previous warning issued to the DCLG over its use of homelessness figures in December 2015. In a statement issued by Baroness Grender, she said that the government is failing to acknowledge the problem of homelessness, adding “It is time to stop spinning the statistics, and start solving the problem.”

Saniya Taqi, a caseworker in the Housing Law Department at Duncan Lewis Solicitors comments:

“it is my view that there is a homelessness crisis in Britain and having incorrect figures published means that the general public are being misled to believe that homelessness has decreased when in fact it has not. The voices of those facing homelessness need to be heard.”

Saniya Taqi assists on a variety of landlord and tenant housing related matters such as disrepair matters, homelessness and possession proceedings.

Duncan Lewis Housing Department

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors can guide clients in any matter or issues arising with local housing authorities, housing applications, tenants, landlords, ownership and repairs. The Duncan Lewis housing team specialises in representation in all social housing proceedings including reviews, appeals and judicial review relating to homelessness, disrepair, succession for tenants and neighbourhood disputes against local authorities .If you have any housing related queries or require representation please do not hesitate to contact our team of expert solicitors on 0333 772 0409.