Bruno De Oliveira

Constructed to Rot Bruno De Oliveira

Homelessness increased 34%, with 100,000 more families losing their home compared with 2010 and 120,000 children are living in temporary dwellings. Between April 2016 and March 2017, 59,100 families were declared homeless by local authorities in England. Six thousand five hundred ninety households are living in B& Bs, including 3,010 families with children, which often sees families crammed into one room sharing bathroom and cooking facilities with strangers, for more than six weeks. This act is not legal under the Homelessness (Suitability of Accommodation) Order 2003, which banned local authorities from housing families with children in B& Bs for more than six weeks. Meanwhile, food banks in areas of full Universal Credit rollout to single people, couples and families, have seen a 16.85% average increase in referrals for emergency food, more than double the national average of 6.64%. The effect of a 6+ week waiting period for a first Universal Credit payment can be severe, leading to foodbank referrals, debt, mental health issues, rent arrears and eviction. These effects can last even after people receive their Universal Credit payments, as bills and debts pile up.