Four Lincolnshire districts have among highest homelessness rates in region

Four local authority areas in Lincolnshire have featured in the top 20 areas with the highest rates of recorded homelessness in the East Midlands.

Lincoln, North Kesteven, South Kesteven and East Lindsey have all featured in the top 20, with the number of homeless people in the East Midlands totalling 6,440, a new report by Shelter has revealed.

Below is a list of the number of homeless people (who may be in temporary accommodation) in these districts:

• Lincoln 80
• North Kesteven 97
• South Kesteven 208
• East Lindsey 115

Rates of people ‘sleeping rough’ in these areas:

• Lincoln 12
• North Kesteven 3
• South Kesteven 1
• East Lindsey 7

In the most extensive review of its kind, the housing charity combined official rough-sleeping, temporary accommodation and social services figures, which showed the number of homeless people in the region has increased by 19% in a year.

However, as government records are not definitive, the true figure of homelessness is likely to be even higher.

The charity’s report, ‘Far from alone: Homelessness in Britain in 2017’, also shows just how hard it can be to escape homelessness amid a drought of affordable homes and welfare reforms, such as the four-year freeze on housing benefit.

Across England, over a third of people currently living in temporary accommodation will still be homeless in a year’s time.

Polly Neate, CEO of Shelter said: “It’s shocking to think that today, thousands of people in the East Midlands are waking up homeless.

“Some will have spent the night shivering on a cold pavement, others crammed into a dingy, hostel room with their children. And what is worse, many are simply unaccounted for.

“On a daily basis, we speak to people and families who are desperately trying to escape the devastating trap of homelessness.”