Consistent cuts to the housing ‘safety net’ has put thousands on the ‘downward spiral’ to homelessness, housing and homelessness charity Shelter has warned,
The number of callers to Shelter’s helpline who were struggling with rent arrears has more than doubled since 2011, with advisors taking a total of 124,620 calls last year.
Campbell Robb, Shelter’s chief executive, said people were having to stretch their finances ‘to breaking point in a bid to makes ends meet’.
Figures suggest that every 11 minutes a family in Britain loses their home.
Shelter is now warning it is struggling to keep up with increasing demand from people ‘on the brink’ of homelessness.
Nearly 54,000 calls to the charity’s helpline went unanswered between April 2013 and March 2014 due to high demand.
Shelter helpline adviser Nadeem Khan said: ‘Cut after cut to the housing safety net has left many families facing a downward spiral towards homelessness.
‘For many people – from a family who have been evicted and have nowhere else to go, to a parent who has lost their job and is struggling to keep their head above water – we are the only place they can turn for help.’