In the News
Growing number of working homeless
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23rd July 2018
Take a moment to consider what the term 'working homeless" means in the context of Britain in 2018. These are people with a job, often full-time but on well below median earnings. According to a new report from the housing charity and pressure group Shelter, more than half of homeless families across England are in work but soaring rent and a lack of social housing are pushing them into temporary accommodation, often wholly unsuitable for families with young children. In-work poverty and working homelessness are issues rising towards the top of the policy agenda in a labour market with employment at record highs and (recorded) unemployment nudging down towards 4 per cent of the labour force.
Here are some links to the issue of the causes and impact of growing working homelessness.
There are now about 33,000 “working homeless” – or 55% of all households in temporary accommodation – compared with 19,000 in 2013
"It's the woman that looks after your granny... people are working as teaching assistants in schools."
— Channel 4 Dispatches (@C4Dispatches) July 23, 2018
Sheila runs this homeless shelter - she says a third of the people here need help despite having jobs. pic.twitter.com/4lc0fEh3FX
Guardian: Shelter warns of leap in working homeless as families struggle
BBC: More than half of homeless families in work, says Shelter
The Big Issue: Channel 4’s ‘Dispatches’ uncovers the hidden reality of the working homeless
It's disgraceful that over half of all #homeless families are working.
— Shelter (@Shelter) July 23, 2018
The housing crisis is now so bad that people are working every hour they can, yet still can’t afford a home and end up homeless. #Dispatches pic.twitter.com/CNXKX9CwaP
1/4 Our @C4Dispatches on why we have so many people homeless & working goes out tonight on Channel 4 at 8pm. Please do watch! #dispatches pic.twitter.com/KnfuqX7SN1
— Datshiane (@Datshiane) July 23, 2018
Datshiane Navanayagam was homeless as a child. Now she's made a film looking at the increasing number of working homelesshttps://t.co/s9l1WU8PFe
— Big Issue (@BigIssue) July 23, 2018
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