Homelessness in rural areas in England has more than doubled in the last two years, according to analysis published as campaigners warn of planning reforms likely to worsen the situation.
The number of households categorized as homeless in rural local authorities in England rose to 19,975 – an increase of 115% from 2017-18 – according to the countryside charity CPRE, and the Rural Services Network, which represents many parish councils and other countryside organizations.
The rise in numbers of households owed homelessness relief by councils, according to government figures, has been greatest in the north-east and north-west of England but an increase has happened in all areas.
One woman in Essex told the Guardian she was forced to live in a horse box for a month when she lost her home. A nursing assistant in Surrey said she was told she and her three children may have to wait up to five years for an affordable property.
Increase in homelessness in rural areas is greater than that occurring in towns and cities, and rural councils fear the housing shortage in the countryside could soon worsen.
Local authorities have predicted a potential reduction in affordable house construction by up to 50% if the requirement to build them switches to applying to sites with more than 40 or 50 homes rather than just 10 homes. The change could arise under the government’s proposed alterations to the planning system.
Crispin Truman, chief executive of CPRE, said key workers were being priced out of rural areas by high rent in the private sector. “Tragically, rural homelessness continues to soar. Continuing to deregulate the planning system will only make this situation worse.
While many people owed homelessness relief are given temporary accommodation while their situation is resolved “rough sleepers” in the countryside include people camping in woods or staying in cars and outbuildings who are not counted in the government surveys, which are based on snapshot counts.
The CPRE has calculated that at current social housing build rates it could take more than 150 years to clear rural housing waiting lists.
Graham Biggs, chief executive of the network, said: “The social case for affordable rural housing provision is undeniable and is at the heart of sustainable rural communities. Now the economic case for government investment in such housing is also firmly established, we call on the government to boost affordable rural housing supply in a clear win-win situation.”
The ministry of housing communities and local government was contacted for comment.
The ministry of housing and local government said it changed the law in 2018 in a way that made more people entitled to homelessness support from the government, and it was therefore misleading to compare the figures. However, the CPRE analysis showed that while there was a larger increase in homelessness in the year to April 2019, there was a further 16% increase in rural homelessness in the year to April 2020.
Source: Guardian
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