Homelessness on the rise
According to new government figures released at the the end of February, homelessness in England is on the rise again for the first time since 2017.
The number of people estimated to be sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2022 is 3,069, which after 4 years of decreases has risen for the first time since its peak in 2017. The increase since 2021 is 26% or 626 people.
Whilst the number is still 28% down from 2019, before the pandemic Everyone In scheme was introduced and helped many rough sleepers into accommodation in 2020, the new upward trend shows that people are now finding themselves out on the streets in growing numbers.
The statutory homelessness figures, which show the number of households who approached their local council between July and September 2022 and were found to be homeless or at risk of homelessness within the next eight weeks, have also increased - by 4% on the same period in 2021.
72,320 households in England became homeless or were at imminent risk of becoming homeless, including 25,570 families with children – an 8% rise. In Birmingham more than 600 households every week are turning to the City Council because they are on the verge of becoming homeless.
BCM has seen the evidence of these numbers. As people lose their homes through evictions, rent arrears and family breakdowns, housing associations are contacting the Resource Centre several times every day to ask for help for families moving into accommodation with no furniture.
The Care Centre remains busy, welcoming and supporting rough sleepers, hostel residents and people in their own accommodation but unable to cater for themselves for reasons such as lack of money and facilities, addiction and mental health issues. Many face complex difficulties. Please pray for them and staff and volunteers as they eat together, build friendships and work towards finding practical solutions.
Take a look inside BCM's Care Centre, meet one of its guests and find out what's new there in BCM's Care Centre Movie 2023.
Activity afternoons are now part of the Care Centre's schedule, including arts, crafts and model making, a ukulele group and a Christianity Explored group.
