105,000 homeless children living in temporary accommodation

More than 100,000 children will wake up homeless on Christmas day, according to a report conducted by charity Shelter.

The charity outlines that while councils have a legal duty to house homeless children, those who are more vulnerable are often placed in ‘insecure and inappropriate’ emergency accommodation.

The figures show that the number of homeless children living in temporary accommodation is rising, with 25 per cent more families living in bed and breakfasts compared to in 2014.

The report highlighted that living in such a fashion means families often do not have access to adequate kitchen or bathroom facilities and are locked out from hostels during the day. In addition, on some occasions children witness disturbing or illegal behaviour contributing to the deterioration of children’s mental health.

The charity has claimed that a lack of affordable housing and cuts to social security have made it impossible for low-income families to save up for a deposit and rent in advance.

The report states: “Reforms to social security, such as lowering the benefit cap and freezing Local Housing Allowance rates, have cut away at the safety net that families on low incomes can use to stay in their homes and avoid homelessness while they look for work or shop around for a cheaper property.”

The report calls for more stability in the private rented sector and for local authorities to receive enough funding to provide suitable temporary accommodation for homeless families.

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