Homelessness in the United Kingdom (UK)
People are considered to be homeless if they are without a permanent place to live, such as a flat or house. Homeless people are most often unable to get or maintain secure, safe or regular housing because of a lack of income.
Every year, many people apply to their local authority for assistance with homelessness. The legal definition of being homeless is that you must either lack a secure place to live or not be able to stay in the accommodation or location where you are residing.
There are estimated to be 4751 people who slept outside overnight in 2017; this represents an increase of 15% compared to the previous year. Men, women and children who sleep outside a dwelling in England have increased for the past seven years; some charities and official sources claim that even this sharp increase fails to reflect the correct level of homeless people.
Local authorities have shown that London is still the centre of homelessness, with nearly a quarter of all people sleeping rough. This has recently increased by 18%.
Much of the rest of England recorded a rise of around 14%; however, the north-west has shown the most significant regional increase of 39%. Rough sleeping has in fact almost doubled in the space of two years and has quadrupled since the onset of 2010. Salford, Tameside, and Manchester are considered to be significant problem areas. If you are considering relocating from this area then movon can assist you with the move.
The United Kingdom provides many services to help people who are homeless. They often offer shelter, food, beds and clothing, and may be organised and run by local community groups or by government agencies or departments. These programmes may be supported by charities, the government, individual donors or churches.
The UK has a homelessness crisis that needs to be dealt with. There are many different issues that the homeless have to deal with. These include unemployment, alcohol abuse and drug addiction. Some have lost their jobs and homes due to lack of funds or substance dependence.
Unemployment: What can be Done?
Although unemployment has fallen in the UK over the last few years, many jobs are non-contract without a regular income. This makes it difficult to pay rent and bills since one is not sure what revenue will be received in any particular week.
Alcohol and Drug Addiction
The continued access to cheap alcohol in supermarkets, plus manufactured substances such as Mamba, has lead to significant increases in homeless people, who can become intoxicated for a very reasonable outlay. The general feeling of despair and hopelessness of the homeless can be temporarily alleviated by taking some alcohol or drugs. This continues an endless cycle for many people who live on the streets.
Fortunately, there are programmes within the UK to help with such addictions, but this can be a long and painful process. It can require a lot of willpower and determination.