Number of Bradford homeless doubles in 3 years (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Number of Bradford homeless doubles in 3 years
9:00am Wednesday 1st August 2012 in News
By Anika Bourley
A young woman is talked to by a social worker about finding accommodation. Picture posed by models
The number of Bradford households finding themselves homeless has almost doubled in the past three years – the second highest rise across Yorkshire and Humber, according to a new report.
A report by data experts SSentif looking at “homelessness” shows variations across the country and within the region.
The number of homeless households in England has risen by 13.88 per cent in the past year, and by a quarter in the past three years, the new figures show.
Some 50,290 families and individuals were classed as homeless and in need of emergency accommodation in 2011/12, compared with 44,160 in 2010/11 and 40,020 in 2009/10.
Across Bradford there was a 90.27 per cent rise from 113 to 215, second to Hambleton at 129.79 per cent. But other areas across the region saw smaller increases with only 8.23 in Wakefield and an average rise across Yorkshire and Humber of a quarter. Kirklees saw a 17.19 per cent reduction in families being deemed homeless.
“Homeless” is defined as in priority need of housing and accepted as homeless by the local authority. A family would not have intentionally become homeless and can include families with dependent children, pregnant women and adults who are assessed as vulnerable. It does not refer to rough sleepers.
Families can be placed in bed and breakfasts, housing maintained by the local authority, housing associations or private landlords.
Judy Aldred, managing director of SSentif, said: “While these figures are perhaps not surprising given the state of the economy, some of the results for specific councils are quite shocking.”
The report showed spending on tackling homelessness rose in Bradford from £2.15 million in 2009/10 to £3.45m the following year, whereas nationally it fell from £213.7m to £199.8m.
Labour blamed the double dip recession and a fall in housebuilding for the increase but the Department for Communities and Local Government said the figures were a “narrow and misleading snapshot”.
A spokesman added: “The bigger picture is that homelessness is actually lower than for 28 of the last 30 years – and is half the average rate seen under the previous Government.”
A spokesman for Bradford Council and social housing group Incommunities said: “Bradford, in common with national trends, is seeing a rise in the numbers of households accepted under the homelessness statutory frameworks.
“This is largely due to the current economic climate which is affecting employment and the retention of accommodation.
“Bradford offers a comprehensive range of services through Open Moves.”
Comments(10)
angry bradfordian
says...
11:10am Wed 1 Aug 12
If you conservatively (no pun intended) say it took 6 months for the Tories to implement any changes, then the first half of this 3 years rise was governed by Labour.
They seem to think everybody will conveniently forget that half the shadow cabinet use to govern the mess we're in.
a reasonable sort of chap
says...
1:55pm Wed 1 Aug 12
angry bradfordian wrote:But Labour didn't cancel people's Housing Benefit did they? and Labour didn't make everyone poorer, unlike the Tories, who are hell-bent on ruining this country and are ideologically driven to dismantle the State (ie. OUR State).
I find it interesting that the Labour Party never seem to acknowledge that it's only 2 years since they were in power.
If you conservatively (no pun intended) say it took 6 months for the Tories to implement any changes, then the first half of this 3 years rise was governed by Labour.
They seem to think everybody will conveniently forget that half the shadow cabinet use to govern the mess we're in.
GC BD4
says...
3:44pm Wed 1 Aug 12
Reality50
says...
3:58pm Wed 1 Aug 12
Yorkshire Lass
says...
4:20pm Wed 1 Aug 12
Reality50 wrote:Plan B would be better - shut the gates, we are full up and attend to the people here already in need and let other towns and cities deal with anything new.
Until the authorities deal with this issue properly and stop **** footing around the situation wil get worse.Mass immigration into Bradford is the main reason for this figure doubling.The homeless may not be immigrants but that is because many are in council houses and flats thus pushing British people further down the state housing queue.It doesn't take Einstein to work that one out and the second major problem is the lack of new houses in the council house sector being built.There needs to be mass building of new flats and housing particularly as immigration rises and birthrate amongst ethnic communities continues to increase.
Can't see this happening though, can anyone else?
albioff
says...
4:36pm Wed 1 Aug 12
Albion.
says...
4:44pm Wed 1 Aug 12
a reasonable sort of chap wrote:They still keep YOU in your permanent state of idleness.
angry bradfordian wrote:But Labour didn't cancel people's Housing Benefit did they? and Labour didn't make everyone poorer, unlike the Tories, who are hell-bent on ruining this country and are ideologically driven to dismantle the State (ie. OUR State).
I find it interesting that the Labour Party never seem to acknowledge that it's only 2 years since they were in power.
If you conservatively (no pun intended) say it took 6 months for the Tories to implement any changes, then the first half of this 3 years rise was governed by Labour.
They seem to think everybody will conveniently forget that half the shadow cabinet use to govern the mess we're in.
BertSanders
says...
5:54pm Wed 1 Aug 12
a reasonable sort of chap wrote:Labour left a debt crisis that has to be managed - there is no ideology to dismantle the state - simply to recover the damage that Labour left and and if re-elected they will have to manage the situation themselves - the give-away society has to be contained.
angry bradfordian wrote:But Labour didn't cancel people's Housing Benefit did they? and Labour didn't make everyone poorer, unlike the Tories, who are hell-bent on ruining this country and are ideologically driven to dismantle the State (ie. OUR State).
I find it interesting that the Labour Party never seem to acknowledge that it's only 2 years since they were in power.
If you conservatively (no pun intended) say it took 6 months for the Tories to implement any changes, then the first half of this 3 years rise was governed by Labour.
They seem to think everybody will conveniently forget that half the shadow cabinet use to govern the mess we're in.
Some Euro states are already aware of the fact and are in a much worse state the UK.
Get back to work
says...
7:38pm Wed 1 Aug 12
a reasonable sort of chap wrote:And why shouldnt the lazy get their benefits cut ? it should be stopped at 6 months for people like you .. then you`d soon find ya self a job...
angry bradfordian wrote:But Labour didn't cancel people's Housing Benefit did they? and Labour didn't make everyone poorer, unlike the Tories, who are hell-bent on ruining this country and are ideologically driven to dismantle the State (ie. OUR State).
I find it interesting that the Labour Party never seem to acknowledge that it's only 2 years since they were in power.
If you conservatively (no pun intended) say it took 6 months for the Tories to implement any changes, then the first half of this 3 years rise was governed by Labour.
They seem to think everybody will conveniently forget that half the shadow cabinet use to govern the mess we're in.
a reasonable sort of chap says...
10:47am Wed 1 Aug 12