20 per cent increase in Manchester homeless rate

Weak economic conditions and other factors, such as reduction in benefits, have led to a 20% increase in the number of homeless in Greater Manchester. While the exact stats are hard to get, and the actual number of homeless individuals could be a little lower or higher, the fact is that an increasing number of families and individuals do not have a place to sleep on a nightly basis.

The homeless are coming from all backgrounds. There is a large number of single mums and their children as well as minorities. In fact, about 33 per cent of individuals sleeping rough are mums. People are impacted by job redundancies as well as the ever increasing cost of rent in Manchester, and these problems faced by residents is continuing to get worse.

A large number of individuals are unintentionally homeless, so this means that either they were evicted by their landlord or they just can’t afford their rent. Some even can’t keep up with their energy bills, so they end up leaving their home in search of a more affordable options. This is becoming more common in Bury, Salford, Oldham, Stockport and Ashton, per council records. This population of individuals that are homeless by circumstances is a much larger than the people who left their home for voluntary reasons.

Another cause of the increasing homeless rates in Manchester are the constant cutbacks in benefits. With the UK continuing to reduce entitlements to the low income, many tenants are struggling to keep up with all of their housing costs. Even those who are seeking financial assistance from the government, there is often a delay in the first benefit cheque being issued.

The 20% increase also includes those in temporary accommodations over an extended period of time. Dozens of families continue to live in hostels or some type of shelter for many months, and they are also considered to be part of the homeless population in Manchester. While they may have a bed to sleep in each night, leaving in a centre such as a hostel is not an effective long term housing solution.

Even with the weather turning colder this winter, the problem continues to grow. The use of the cold weather shelters continues to increase from last year, as this is where the homeless are turning to to stay warm. The Manchester drop-in service will also try to offer them other forms of practical support.

With the increasing numbers of people sleeping rough, the council is trying to provide solutions. They administer some of their own schemes and can also signpost individuals to other charities. The housing authorities will often be leaders when it comes to trying to help residents regain independent living. Anyone that needs support should call their local council.