How is this civilised? Calling out the ‘national disgrace’ of homelessness

BASW, charities and MPs shine spotlight on growing crisis
homeless man on the street

Fresh concerns have been highlighted over the impact of homelessness and poor housing conditions on vulnerable people and families in the UK.

A cross-party group of MPs this week warned “too many” people are living in “appalling” social housing and highlighted a lack of progress made on improvements over the last two decades.

Meanwhile, figures show more than two thirds of councils in England are relying on temporary accommodation, due to a lack of social housing, increasing safeguarding risks to children.

The growing unaffordability of home ownership was also underlined this month with the average house price rising to £300,000, almost double prices in 2006.

Westminster's Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee inquiry found 430,000 social homes in England are failing to meet basic standards of decency.

It said: “Other hazards, including damp and overcrowding, have been increasing.” 

The MP-led inquiry found:

  • Nine per cent of social homes are overcrowded
  • Seven per cent have damp and mould
  • Ten per cent of social housing in England failed the Decent Homes Standard last year

Meanwhile, the annual Homelessness Monitor England 2025 by charity Crisis highlights rising demand for homelessness services and a lack of suitable housing. 

It reveals 330,000 families experienced “the worst forms of homelessness” in 2024, including sleeping on the streets or in unsuitable B&B or hostel accommodation – up 21 per cent over three years. 

A report drawing on statistics from the National Child Mortality Database published in 2024 found homelessness and temporary accommodation have contributed to the deaths of at least 55 children since 2019. 

The Crisis survey published at the end of 2025 found 70 per cent of local authorities say demand for homelessness services has increased. 

Moreover, they predict the freezing of the government homeless subsidy could cause whole councils to go bankrupt. The subsidy level has remained the same since 2011, meaning rent increases are not being taken into account.

London boroughs are now spending £5.5 million a day – 11 per cent of every household’s council tax bill – on homelessness, according to London Councils and face “financial collapse” if the government does not unfreeze the temporary accommodation subsidy.

Crisis said: “Local authorities spent £2.8 billion on temporary accommodation in 2024/25, with such costs now representing a critical financial risk for local government finances”.

Rough sleeping

The Crisis report revealed the number of people sleeping rough in England grew by 20 per cent last year, reaching 4,667. The main reasons were:

  • Evictions from Home Office asylum accommodation – up 37 per cent
  • People leaving prisons or hospitals – up 22 per cent
  • Domestic abuse causing homelessness – up 14 per cent since 2021

The charity warns a decision to halve the notice period given to refugees before eviction from Home Office accommodation will further increase rough sleeping and homelessness. 

The number of authorities securing accommodation for people experiencing homelessness fell from 47 per cent in 2021 to 39 per cent in 2024.

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services warns relocations of families to other authorities in England have never been “to the scale and extent seen now”.

In addition, a recent survey by the Social Workers Union revealed a fifth of social workers have experienced removals of children from families due to "unsafe or inappropriate housing".

Nearly 80 per cent of the 2,295 social workers responding said housing was a major concern for the people they support, and a third report an increase in people living in unsafe housing.

Reaction

Samantha Baron, interim chief executive of BASW, said: “It is a national disgrace that homelessness blights the lives of so many people, including families and children, and we need to call it out.

“To their shame, successive governments have let spiralling house prices, rising rents and a chronic shortage of housing reach crisis point.

“Social workers see the devastating impact of this every day in their work and know how fundamentally important it is to have a safe place that we can call home.

"How can we call ourselves a civilised country if we can’t even give citizens their basic right to somewhere decent to live?"

Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis, warned: “Homelessness in England is on track to keep rising if we don’t act now. With rough sleeping and temporary accommodation already reaching record highs and the homelessness system under immense strain, this further rise in homelessness cannot be allowed to happen.”

The government has promised to build 1.5 million homes – 300,000 a year for the remainder of this parliament – along with a £39 billion Affordable and Social Housing Programme. And the Renters' Rights Bill will abolish Section 21 evictions and extend notice periods to four months, a reform BASW has called for.

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