Welfare reforms likely to be a factor in homelessness increase - NAO report

A new National Audit Office report has confirmed a significant increase in homelessness in recent years with 77,240 households in temporary accommodation in England in March 2017, an increase of 60% since March 2011.

The report also found that the ending of private sector tenancies has overtaken all other causes to become the biggest single driver of statutory homelessness in England. The proportion of households accepted as homeless by local authorities due to the end of an assured shorthold tenancy increased from 11% during 2009-10 to 32% during 2016-17. In addition, it appears likely that the decrease in affordability of properties in the private rented sector, of which welfare reforms such as the capping of Local Housing Allowance are an element, have driven this increase in homelessness.

It also found that the Department for Communities and Local Government does not have a published cross government strategy to prevent and tackle homelessness. It has, however, acknowledged the scale of the challenge and plans to improve the data the government holds on homelessness.

A summary of the report can be found on the NAO website and Shelter have written a blog response - http://blog.shelter.org.uk/2017/09/government-auditors-say-housing-benefit-freeze-a-driver-of-homelessness/