2,588 Wandsworth Children Will Be Homeless This Christmas
Council respond 'these are not families sleeping rough on the streets ... but in temporary accommodation'
Figures released by Wandsworth Council in November there were 1,735 homeless families in the borough (in 2010 there were 400 homeless families). Labour state that in those families there are a total of
2,588 children, an increase of almost 400 on last Christmas.
Cllr Paul White with Mayor Sadiq Khan
According to Paul White, Labour’s Housing Speaker, pictured above with Sadiq Khan: “Many of these children will wake up on Christmas morning in B&Bs, often outside the borough, or in poor-quality temporary accommodation. Families can be moved several times before a home is found for them, which of course impacts their mental health, their ability to work and their children’s ability to attend school. It’s hard at the best of times but heart-breaking at Christmas.
Currently, there are over 6,500 people waiting to be housed by Wandsworth Council.
Paul White said: “Eviction is the most common cause of homelessness. This is something Wandsworth Labour would tackle if we’re elected next May. We would intervene earlier to stop evictions, negotiate with landlords, provide resources for tenants to remain in their homes and we would end the practice of placing children in B&Bs.”
As well as homelessness, foodbank use in the borough is also increasing. Wandsworth Foodbank described it as “sad beyond words” that on December 15 more households visited their Battersea St Mark’s foodbank than on any other day since it opened in 2013. In one day emergency food and support was provided for 26 households in crisis; a total of 70 local people including 37 children. Another foodbank in the borough has reported that it has started to provide basic hygiene items such as sanitary products for women.
Earlier this month universal credit was rolled out in some areas of Wandsworth.
According to a recent report by New Policy Institute, changes to the benefits system, including the introduction of universal credit: “Certainly partly explain why deep poverty has risen and unless the role out of Universal Credit is stopped or changes are made, the proportion of people in deep poverty in London will continue to rise”.
Paul White concluded: “Increased homelessness and increased foodbank use; Wandsworth now has more homeless families with children in temporary accommodation than the whole of the Republic of Ireland and with the introduction of universal credit earlier this month, I am sorry to say the situation is bound to worsen. The public does not believe that Wandsworth Council has a grip on our local housing crisis and when you see the statistics, it’s clear why”.
A council spokesman said: “All councils in London are experiencing an increase in homelessness cases but it should be pointed out that these are not families sleeping rough on the streets, but residing in temporary accommodation with a roof over their heads while a permanent home is found for them.
“In Wandsworth the council has approved a wide ranging package of measures, including buying and building new homes so we can ensure that people in genuine need receive help and support and can be offered permanent homes close to the areas they grew up in.
“We are also increasing the supply of affordable homes with 3,000 built over the past decade, another 1,700 due to be completed within the next three years and a target of 18,000 over the coming decade.”
December 21, 2017