You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Morning Briefing: growing homelessness among older people
Councils warn of a growing homelessness problem among older people, rents for lower-income tenants are swallowing up more monthly income and pressure grows on government over Universal Credit.
In the news
Councils are warning the country is facing a “ticking time bomb” after latest figures showed a 130% rise in homeless older people since its lowest point eight years ago.
The Local Government Association says that older homelessness is a growing hidden problem. Several newspapers have reported on this, including the Independent here.
Latest government figures show that between April and June this year, councils accepted 620 people aged over 60 as homeless – at a rate of nearly 10 a day. This is up from the 270 accepted between October and December 2009, which was the lowest number since records began in 2005.
READ MORE
The BBC reports that tenants on low incomes are now spending an average of 28% of their wages on rent, up from 21% in the mid-1990s.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies said they have been hit by substantial cuts to housing benefit, with government support expected to fall “further and further behind” the cost of housing.
There’s further pressure on the government over Universal Credit, with campaigners and MPs calling for the 55p per minute helpline to be made free of charge. Frank Field, chair of the Commons Work and Pensions Committee, told The Guardian: “The country will be flabbergasted that people without any money at all should be expected to pay for a call to try and gain some help.” He added the government needs to “iron out difficulties with telephone costs before they blast the poor to bits”.
On social media
Housing folk have been getting very excited on Twitter over a new hashtag – #ifhousingmadefilms. Here’s a selection of some of the better suggestions – Nightmare Tenants on Elm Street, Snow White and the Seven Storey Block and Good House Hunting.
Saving Private Rented Sector #ifhousingmadefilms
— James Caspell FCIH (@jjcaspell)Saving Private Rented Sector #ifhousingmadefilms
— James Caspell FCIH (@jjcaspell) October 12, 2017
#IfHousingMadeFilms 50
— elly hoult (@HoultElly)
Shades of HCA#IfHousingMadeFilms 50
— elly hoult (@HoultElly) October 12, 2017
Shades of HCA
Desperately Seeking Social Rent #ifhousingmadefilms
— Caroline Massey (@CarolineMassey_)Desperately Seeking Social Rent #ifhousingmadefilms
— Caroline Massey (@CarolineMassey_) October 12, 2017
