Homelessness

The term ‘homelessness’ is often considered to apply only to people ‘sleeping rough’. However, most statistics on homelessness relate to the statutorily homeless i.e. those households which meet specific criteria as set out in legislation, and to whom a homelessness duty has been accepted by a local authority. Such households are rarely homeless in the literal sense of being without a roof over their heads, but are more likely to be threatened with the loss of, or are unable to continue with, their current accommodation. This may include situations such as:

· temporarily staying with friends or family;

· staying in a hostel or bed and breakfast;

· living in very overcrowded conditions;

· at risk of violence or abuse in their home;

· living in poor conditions that affect their health;

· living somewhere that they have no legal right to stay in (for example a squat);

· living somewhere that they can't afford to pay for without depriving themselves of basic essentials; and

· forced to live apart from their family or someone they would normally live with because accommodation isn't suitable.