photo © Copyright Albert Bridge

31 October 2022

According to the latest Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) report, between July and September, 3628 individuals were recorded sleeping rough in the capital. This is a 24% increase on the total figure for the same time last year. Of these, more than 51% (1844 people) were sleeping in the streets for the very first time - 35% more than the same time last year.

This is profoundly worrying and must be a wakeup call for the new Government: they need to take this homelessness crisis seriously. Over the last few months, we have warned that more and more people found themselves unable to make ends meet and fall into destitution and homelessness. At Glass Door, we have seen an increase of 9% in the demand for our services compared to the same time last year.

With rents up 17.1% in London in 2022, inflation up 10%, evictions rapidly rising, rising energy bills and the cost-of-living crisis, we are worried that the situation will get worse if nothing is done at governmental level to protect the most vulnerable.

This is why, ahead of the Autumn Budget scheduled for 17 November 2022, we are calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to:

• Upraise the inadequate housing allowances
• Increase the benefit cap
• Upraise benefits in line with inflation as soon as possible

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