Pandemic leaves six million people more afraid of becoming homeless: Shelter’s helpline braces for deepening crisis in the year ahead

One in seven adults (14%) – equivalent to more than six million people - in England are more worried about becoming homeless due to the pandemic, new research by Shelter reveals.

With people’s incomes slashed, job losses mounting, and people hanging onto their homes by a thread the charityexpects the pressure on itsfrontline services to only grow.

Eleanor Wilson, a Shelter helpline adviser recruited in response to the pandemic, said: “People are frightened, they’re scared they might do the wrong thing, they don’t know their rights and they’re really worried they will lose their home. People can be quite distressed and don’t know where to turn. It can be emotional because you feel responsible for every caller.”

Unsurprisingly, Shelter’s latest poll carried out by YouGov, shows it is private renters who have fared the worst during the Coronavirus crisis. A staggering one in four private renting adults (27%) now fear becoming homeless(2.2 million people).

Private renters are also almost twice as likely to feel depressed and anxious about their housing situation, compared with the general public (26%).In fact, nearly half (47%)of private renterssay they are more depressed and anxiousin light of the pandemic.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Through our helpline we have seen just how scared people are about their homes and their futures. People’s lives are literally on the line. They are desperately struggling,and the threat of homelessness is very real.

“At Shelter we are working hard to keep people safe in their homes. Thanks to the generous support of the public and our partners we have been able to answer double the number of calls, but we need to keep this up if we are going to weather the coming storm. To make sure we can always be on the other end of the line, we’re asking the public to support our appeal.”

Shelter helpline adviser, Eleanor Wilson, continued: “I started working at Shelter’s emergency helpline in September. One of the most surprising things is the sheer volume of people who are teetering on the edge of homelessness. There are now a lot more of us to answer the phone, but the amount of calls is just relentless.

“The helpline is so important.When people get through to us they've often called everyone else and they’re running out of options. When we are able to offer support, advice, and an action plan – it's fantastic. I’ve got people off sleeping on the streets, kept people from being illegally evicted, and found last minute emergency accommodation for families facing homelessness that very night.”

Case study: Shaiso, 36, from London was working as a wedding planner and living in staffaccommodation at the hotel where she worked. She was made redundant in November and lost her home too. Shaisogot support and advice from Shelter and is now living intemporary accommodation.

She said: “When the pandemic hit everything came crashing down. I lost my job as wedding planner in November and my housing along with it, I was getting bounced from council to council and was starting to get really worried I was going to end up on the streets. A friend told me to call Shelter’s helpline to see if they could help.

“The helpline adviser I spoke to was so kind and they were able to link me up with a local case worker, called Lily, who really helped me. Lily called me all the time and told me about all her conversations with the council. Literally within a day, Lily had found somewhere for me to go. If it wasn’t for Shelter, I don’t know where I’d be now.

“When this whole situation unfolded, my mental health really hit a low. Speaking with Lily has helped me to feel more positive and to start working on my depression. In the future, I’m really hoping to get back into a stable home that I can call my own.”