CYP Now - Children living in temporary accommodation hits record level, official figures show

The number of children in England who are homeless and living with their families in temporary accommodation has surged over the past year to reach the highest level ever recorded, according to official figures.

Shelter's Neate: 'Government must create a cross-department strategy to tackle rising homelessness'. Picture: Shelter

Statutory homelessness data from the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government (DHCLG) shows there were 151,630 children living in temporary accommodation in the first three months of 2024. This is 15% higher than for the same three-month period in 2023 and the highest figure since records began in 2004.

Overall, there are 117,450 homeless households living in temporary accommodation in England, up 12% on the year before, of which 74,530 were households with children.

The number of homeless families living in emergency accommodation such as B&Bs and hostels has reached 8,860 – a rise of 29% in a year.

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