Homelessness: April 2020 to March 2021

Main points

The data may be subject to quarterly fluctuations and seasonal factors such as holidays and weather. These statistics are not seasonally adjusted.

Households threatened with homelessness

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• 7,290 households were threatened with homelessness, a decrease of 27% on 2019-20.
• Homelessness was successfully prevented for at least 6 months in 65% of cases.

Homelessness prevention is where a local authority takes positive action to provide housing assistance to someone who the authority considers is threatened with homelessness within 56 days.

Homeless households owed a duty to help secure accommodation

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• 13,161 households were assessed as homeless and owed a duty to help secure accommodation, a 6% increase on 2019-20.
• Homeless households were successfully helped to secure accommodation in 39% of cases.

Following notification that an applicant is homeless, the local authority will be under a duty (Section 73) to take reasonable steps to help to secure accommodation.

Homeless households, unintentionally homeless and in priority need

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• 3,795 households were identified as unintentionally homeless and in priority need, a 24% increase on 2019-20.
• Homeless households accepted an offer of settled suitable accommodation in 75% of cases.

If the household is homeless, has a priority need and is unintentionally homeless, the local authority will be under a duty to secure suitable accommodation.

Temporary accommodation

• At 31 March 2021, 3,729 households were placed in temporary accommodation, an increase of 60% on March 2020.
• At 31 March 2021, 1,463 households were placed in temporary B&B accommodation, an increase of 196% on March 2020.

National lockdown measures went into effect on 23 March 2020 which has affected the total of households in temporary accommodation at 31 March 2021.

Further information

Additional information is available within the accompanying Quality report.