Startling new figures suggest more people are being driven to the streets by the cost-of-living crisis. In 2022 the cost of living is set to soar, with increased energy prices, National Insurance hikes and inflation rising on goods and products. Between April and September, there were 5,712 people sleeping on the capital’s streets- an increase of 21% compared with the same period last year.
What do the figures show?
Homeless charity Crisis said first-time rough sleepers primarily drove the rise. Who represents more than half of the 3,628 people on the streets between July and September. This represented a bigger jump of 24% compared with the same period in 2021.
What is the Cause of Homelessness?
Crisis found in the worst-case scenario 1.7 million households on the lowest incomes will be spending on average 133% of their salary on rent, food and energy. The charity has warned households in high-rent areas on in poorly insulated homes are most at risk. It is believed that hundreds of thousands of low income will be facing homelessness and destitution.
What do Charities Speculate?
“Our services across the country are seeing rough sleeping and wider homelessness rising fast. This is made worse by the cost-of-living crisis.” In the dire economic times are only adding fuel to a crisis that has been burning away for years. The government must take decisive action in the Autumn Statement to invest in housing benefits.
What should the Government do?
The government should lift benefits in line with inflation to alleviate the huge financial burden on struggling families. Income tax and VAT should be at ease to tackle the financial pressures of millions of households facing soaring energy bills. Cutting the standard rate of VAT by 5 per cent -from the current standard rate of 20 per cent could do more favours to the marginalised people.
How Can they Be Helped?
The solution to homelessness is housing. Rapid re-housing is an intervention designed to quickly connect people to housing and services. A community-wide coordinated approach to delivering services, housing, and programs is needed. The cost-of-living crisis should be tackled immediately for people to exit homelessness.
Read more on Cost-of-living – https://whatson.guide/cost-of-living-crisis-man-made-disaster/
