With only 21 sleeps until Christmas, we are all getting excited for the festive period. However, for 159,380 children in the UK, they will be spending those nights in temporary accommodation. Recent figures from the Government paint a stark picture of England's growing housing crisis. The number of households with children in temporary accommodation has surged by 15.1% in just one year.
The escalating crisis is visible across the South Coast. Over the past year we have helped our clients provide first class accommodation for those in EA/TA across Sussex.
The MHCLG data reveals some alarming trends:
• 5,910 households with children were placed in bed and breakfasts, a 31.9% rise compared to 2023.
• The number of families exceeding the six-week legal limit in B&Bs jumped 50.2% to 3,770.
• A total of 123,100 households are now in temporary accommodation, a year-on-year increase of 16%.
Let it be our Christmas wish that next year no child will have to sleep in a damp and mouldy B&B. To make this a reality we all have our part to play.
Councils spent an eye-watering £2.3 billion on temporary housing between April 2023 and March 2024, underscoring the urgency of addressing the root causes of the crisis. The national housing association, the Riverside Group’s success with transitioning 83% of their residents to permanent housing highlights the importance of well-funded hostels and tailored support services.
The housing crisis is not an abstract issue; it’s a reality impacting families and children in every corner of England, including the South Coast. At Silverstone Communications, we will continue on behalf of our clients to lobby local government to understand the effects of poor EA and TA, but also support the schemes that offer suitable emergency accommodation. To truly turn the tide, a concerted national effort is essential—one that prioritises long-term housing security over short-term fixes.
If you want our help in engaging with your local authority to get your upcoming EA and TA projects approved, or you want to understand more about how EA and TA can benefit your community, please get in touch.
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