Record high numbers living in temporary accommodation as Lib Dems call on govt to end homelessness this Parliament

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

The number of families living in temporary accommodation has reached a record high, the latest homelessness statistics have revealed, while there has been a 14.2% rise in rough sleeping.

The number of households reported in temporary accommodation reached 117,450 in March 2024 - the highest figure since these records began in 1998. This includes a 14.7% rise in the number of households with children living in temporary accommodation taking the total to 74,530. 

There were also large increases last year in the number of households owed homelessness support by their local authority. Local authorities made 94,280 main homelessness duty decisions in 2023-24 - up by 25.1% on 2022-23.

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to publish a cross-Whitehall plan to end all forms of homelessness within this Parliament. The party said that the plans should include more support for councils to tackle the shocking rise in the number of people in temporary accommodation.

Responding to the latest figures, Liberal Democrat Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson, Vikki Slade MP said:

“It is heartbreaking to think that so many families and children will be on the streets or without a place to call home this winter.

“For years, the previous Conservative government chose to ignore the thousands that are rough sleeping and broke their promise to ban no fault evictions.

“The new government must address this awful situation as a matter of urgency and that starts by publishing a cross-Whitehall plan to end all forms of homelessness within this Parliament.

“This strategy must include more support for councils to tackle the shocking rise in families using temporary accommodation. No longer should we see people forced to sleep rough and unable to access the support they need.”

ENDS