Surge in inquiries about homelessness

Published on 01/12/2012 01:01

Housing charity Shelter has recorded a major increase in demand for help from people at risk of homelessness.

New figures show the number of people Shelter’s helpline has assisted who are either homeless or face losing their home has risen by 80 per cent over the past three years.

The number of families with children at risk of homelessness increased by 92 per cent over the same period.

The Shelter Helpline is staffed by over 50 specialists and
part-funded by retailer Marks & Spencer.

Over the past year, the charity’s website has also seen a 17 per cent surge in visits to pages providing advice, compared with just a 3 per cent increase the year before. The findings came after Shelter warned that 75,000 children in Britain will wake up homeless this Christmas.