Dozens to spend Christmas homeless in North Lincolnshire

Dozens of people, many of them children, will be spending Christmas homeless in North Lincolnshire’s bed and breakfasts, hostels and other emergency housing this year.

New research from national housing charity Shelter has revealed that around 35 people across the area will spend Christmas without a home in North Lincolnshire. Councils have a legal duty to house families and people who are vulnerable.

A Freedom Of Information (FOI) request by housing charity Shelter found that as of June 30, there were 34 estimated total homeless people in North Lincolnshire. This included seven children in temporary accommodation.

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A handful of people in North Lincolnshire could be spending Christmas on the street, with 10 people estimated to be sleeping rough across the area on any given night. The council has said it continues to provide emergency accommodation for those who are homeless and works with partners to try to prevent homelessness in the first place.

Across Yorkshire and Humber, 6,200 people were homeless. Shelter’s chief executive Polly Neale said “the housing emergency is out of control”, as the charity asked people to donate to its urgent winter appeal. The growing emergency of a shortage of affordable housing is leaving families stuck for months in grotty hostels, B&Bs and cramped bedsits, often having to share beds with no, or inadequate, cooking and laundry facilities.

A North Lincolnshire Council spokesperson said: “The council continues to provide emergency accommodation for all those who are homeless, providing wrap around support with our housing support and helping people move-on to permanent homes. We work together with a close partnership of agencies to try and prevent homelessness in the first place but where this is not possible we ensure specialist support is available to those that need it.”

Information on homeless support in North Lincolnshire can be found via the council’s website here. The page advises a person is at risk of homelessness if they:

• are likely to become homeless within 56 days
• have received a valid notice to quit (Section 21 notice)
• have received a notice that the landlord requires possession of accommodation (NOSP) which expires within 56 days

If you are at risk of homelessness, complete the council’s referral form here, or if you need further help, call the council on on 01724 297000.

Shelter say their frontline services are dealing with the grim reality of rising homelessness every day from supporting families crammed into a one-room B&B with mouldy walls and bed bugs, to providing emergency assistance to people facing a night on the streets. Free housing advice on 0808 800 4444 is available from Shelter.

“Until the government takes this emergency seriously, our frontline services will do everything they can to help people keep or find a safe home this winter,” said Polly Neale. “It is only with the public’s support that we can continue to provide vital advice and support and fight for the solutions people want and need to end homelessness. To donate to Shelter’s Urgent Appeal, visit shelter.org.uk/donate.”

A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesperson said: “Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. That’s why we are spending £2 billion to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, including making £1 billion available so councils can give financial support for people to find a new home and move out of temporary accommodation.

“Temporary accommodation is an important way of making sure no family is without a roof over their head, but councils must ensure it is temporary and suitable for families, who have a right to appeal if it doesn’t meet their household’s needs. Through our Rough Sleeping Strategy, we will continue to work to end rough sleeping completely.” The strategy aims to end rough sleeping by 2027.

Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe