Government urged to prevent mass homelessness crisis

The government has been urged to extend their support to avoid a mass homelessness crisis as we start to come out of the other side of the pandemic. The eviction ban ended at the end of May and the BBC cited that around a million households feared losing their homes. Families across the country are struggling to pay their rents or mortgages and charities are fearing a wave of homelessness if no further support is provided. 

Thousands of families losing their homes will ultimately turn to their councils for help. Councils that are already underfunded and struggling to house thousands of people on waiting lists. Though the furlough scheme and a Universal Credit uplift have both been extended to September, people are still struggling. 

A significant number of redundancies are also expected once the furlough scheme comes to an end and it’s only then we’ll see the full effects of the pandemic. Businesses have struggled and the furlough scheme has been a lifeline but once this ends, this could push some families over the edge.

Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough housing for those who need it. Even before the pandemic we were in the middle of a housing crisis. This will only get worse. There’s a stigma attached to temporary housing because of the unsuitable housing that has been offered in the past. Families are left cramped in hotel rooms and B&Bs or caravans that are falling apart. Other families say they feel trapped in old buildings having to share kitchens and bathrooms so are left fighting for space. 

What can the government do? There are calls for them to extend their support or extend the eviction ban for those who have found themselves in financial difficulty because of covid. We also need a lot more accessible, affordable housing, both long-term and temporary. We’re able to provide high-quality, spacious temporary housing solutions that will make people feel like they have somewhere to call home again. This can be used as a solution to both the housing and homelessness crisis. We design, develop and manufacture relocatable housing units from shipping container conversions up to big beautiful volumetric modular homes and accommodation blocks. 

Councils and local authorities can use these homes to house those that have been sitting on waiting lists for years, getting pushed from hotel room to hotel room. As they’re also relocatable, housing units can be moved where necessary. Some sites can sit vacant for years while planning permissions are sought. These sites can be used for temporary housing until more permanent housing is found so the site isn’t left vacant and families can be housed in the meantime. 

Take a look at our portfolio to see how we’ve provided some emergency housing solutions for various councils and local authorities.