105% increase in households facing homelessness due to Section 21 notice – Crisis responds

This morning (28 October) the Government’s Statutory Homelessness figures in England from April-June have revealed a dramatic rise (105%) in the number of households threatened with and experiencing homelessness after being served an eviction notice, when compared to the same quarter last year.  

The figures mark the period which saw emergency measures put in place because of the pandemic, including the eviction ban, removed.

The figures also show:

• A noticeable rise of 98% increase in the number of households approaching due to landlord wishing to sell or re-let the property at the prevention stage when compared to the same quarter last year
• An 18% increase in the number of households approaching to prevent their homelessness when compared to the same quarter last year
• A 62% increase in the number of households approaching Housing Options due to the end of an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) at the prevention stage when compared to the same quarter last year

In recent weeks, the Government has announced funding to support renters in arrears through a £65m support package, as well as £639m by 2024-25 to tackle rough sleeping and homelessness in yesterday’s Budget.

Matt Downie, Director of Policy and External Affairs at Crisis said: “These figures show the first signs of what we feared – once emergency measures were lifted, households began to feel the full force of the financial pressures of the pandemic and we’re now seeing a surge in people experiencing homelessness.

"The UK Government has announced welcome funding measures, through grants and the announcements in yesterday’s Budget to help families in work. But with almost a million households across the UK in rent arrears, we urgently need more action. We know that it is possible to prevent homelessness from happening in the first place – the most immediate move the UK Government can make is to ensure the money is spent effectively – that includes unfreezing housing benefit - to ensure that no one is evicted because of the pandemic, and that more money is made available when it’s needed.”