More than 12,000 homeless or in temporary accommodation in region
More than 12,000 people are homeless and are living in temporary accommodation in the Black Country, Staffordshire and Birmingham, it has been revealed.
Figures from homelessness charity Shelter, using Government data, revealed 12,693 people – including children – were without a fixed home amid the pandemic.
A total of 12,121 were located in Birmingham, with 268 in Walsall, 145 in Sandwell, 72 in Wolverhampton, 19 in Dudley, 28 in Stafford and 40 in Lichfield, as of June this year.
Government and regional leaders, however, used temporary accommodation as a way of getting homeless people and those in need off the streets amid the threat of Covid-19.
The figures also revealed almost 3,500 more people in the wider West Midlands county – including parts of Shropshire and Worcestershire – were in temporary homes.
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: "More than 16,000 people are homeless and stuck in temporary accommodation in the West Midlands. This should shame us all. With this deadly virus on the loose, 2020 has taught us the value of a safe home like never before. But too many are going without, because of the chronic lack of social homes.
"Many people will spend Christmas in grim, dangerous places, cut off from loved ones and faced with a daily struggle to eat or keep clean. As the country continues to reel from the financial shockwaves caused by the pandemic, our services will do all they can to support those battling homelessness. This year has been unbelievably tough, but with the public’s generous support we will do our best to give hope and help to everyone who needs us."
The figures show 11,705 more people are homeless and "trapped" in temporary accommodation than five years ago, with the charity arguing the chaos caused by Covid-19 is "turbo-charging" the crisis.
But the number of people experiencing homelessness is expected to much higher – with many people undocumented by local councils because they are sleeping rough or sofa-surfing, according to Shelter's Homeless and Forgotten report.
Shelter have urged people to support its frontline advisers who will help those in need find, or keep hold of, a home. To donate, visit www.shelter.org.uk/donate.
