Homelessness figures: Ban no fault evictions before more families made homeless

EMBARGO: IMMEDIATE RELEASE

• 3.1% increase in families threatened with homelessness thanks to no fault evictions, which the government has repeatedly promised to ban.

• 12.8% increase in children living in temporary accommodation.

• Over 27% increase in people sleeping rough. 

The Liberal Democrats have called on the government to urgently bring in a ban on no fault evictions, after the latest homelessness figures revealed that 35,760 were threatened with homelessness between July and September.

The party has warned that thousands more families risk being left without a home if the government continues to delay its plans to ban no-fault evictions after 6,580 households were threatened with homelessness due to a no fault eviction notice, a 3.1% increase on the previous year. 

New figures show that 109,000 families are living in temporary accommodation, a 10.3% increase. 69,680 of those families include children - an increase of 12.8%. 

Rough sleeping numbers have also risen for the second year in a row, up to 3,898 a night in Autumn 2023 - an increase of 27% on the previous year. 

It comes as the government has delayed plans to delay no fault evictions in the Renters Reform Bill after Michael Gove announced the ban will only be brought in once improvements to the courts are made. 

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to fast-track the Renter Reform Bill which promises to ban no fault evictions to stop more families being made homeless through no fault of their own.

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Housing, Helen Morgan MP said:

“These heart-breaking figures show there are far too many children without a place to call home.

“It is disgraceful that the Conservative government has once again chosen to postpone its long-promised ban on no-fault evictions to save squabbling with backbench MPs.

“There are now more vulnerable people and children without a permanent roof over their head because of the government's delay. 

“It’s time Conservative ministers understood that homelessness is not a lifestyle choice - too often it is a result of the Government’s shameful decisions.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

• Statutory Homelessness England Statistics, July - September 2023: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statutory-homelessness-in-england-july-to-september-2023

• Rough Sleeping Statistics, Autumn 2023: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/rough-sleeping-snapshot-in-england-autumn-2023