There were almost 500 children homeless and in temporary accommodation in the Humberside region in the first three months of 2024, with 79 of those in East Riding.
New government data shows like England as a whole, councils locally faced extra pressure to provide households with children in temporary accommodation, as is their legal duty for anyone homeless. A total of 492 children in Humberside were in temporary accommodation in January to March.
Fifty-seven households with children were put up in B&Bs and hotels to cope with the demand. England-wide, enough children to fill Old Trafford stadium twice over, 151,630, were living in temporary accommodation in England this spring, the highest number on record.
East Riding had 79 households with kids in temporary accommodation, and a total of 152 children. There were 12 total households out of 194 in B&B and hotels accommodation, including one with children.
An East Riding Council spokesperson said:
“East Riding of Yorkshire Council are aware of the pressures of homeless across East Riding and the use of temporary accommodation and B&B/hotel accommodation in housing families and their children.
“We acknowledge that the use of temporary accommodation is a national trend, and we do our best to only use temporary accommodation and B&B/hotel accommodation as the last resort, and where there is no other alternative suitable accommodation.
“The temporary accommodation used is our own council housing stock and therefore we are aware that it is of a good quality. Officers will work and support families in temporary accommodation and B&B/hotel accommodation to ensure that we ensure that we find more suitable accommodation as soon as possible.”
In May, the LDRS reported that in October to December 2023, it bucked the England-wide trend and had reduced numbers of families having to stay in B&B hotels. However, a spokesperson at the time advised greater use of B&Bs had been required in the early part of this year.
The increasing number of families living in temporary accommodation is down to a lack of affordable and social housing, according to homelessness charity Shelter. Its chief executive Polly Neate said:
“No child should have to face the trauma of growing up homeless, but the housing emergency has trapped many families in temporary accommodation for over five years.
“Overpriced private rentals and the lack of genuinely affordable social homes are pushing families into homelessness and insecure temporary accommodation. Families are crammed into small rooms, sharing kitchens and bathrooms with strangers and living out of suitcases, worrying they could be moved miles away overnight. The government must act to end homelessness for good.”
Minister for Homelessness Rushanara Ali said:
“It is shocking that so many, including families with children, are spending years without a place to call home.”
The government was taking action to create lasting solutions, not quick fixes, she said.
“We are reversing the worst housing crisis in living history by building 1.5 million new homes and are changing the law to abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions – immediately tackling one of the leading causes of homelessness. In addition, we’ve announced a new dedicated cross government group, tasked with creating a long-term strategy to end the disgraceful levels of homelessness."
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