Threshold sees 12% rise in number of households at risk of homelessness

Greater than 12,000 households vulnerable to homelessness had been supported by the Threshold housing charity final 12 months, based on its annual report.

On Wednesday, Threshold will publish its 2022 annual report, which highlights that tenancy terminations stays the largest subject for tenants.

In 2022, Threshold labored with 12,031 circumstances the place the family was vulnerable to homelessness, representing a 12 per cent enhance on the quantity in 2021. Of the just about 6,000 at-risk circumstances closed in 2022, just below 4,500 – consisting of almost 10,000 folks – had been prevented from getting into homeless providers.

Contacts made to Threshold in 2022 included greater than 47,000 telephone calls, over 9,400 webchat queries, circa 6,800 emails, and nearly 200 video consultations.

Tenancy terminations stays the most important subject dealing with personal tenants for the sixth consecutive 12 months, with almost 39 per cent of queries regarding termination of tenancy. Many of those tenancy terminations had been in relation to a landlord promoting a property.

John-Mark McCafferty, chief government of Threshold, raised considerations in regards to the availability of properties to lease.

“In 2022 Threshold prevented 5,883 adults and three,905 youngsters from the danger of homelessness. Sadly, 455 households that we labored with entered homeless providers and 259 had been pressured to stick with household and mates [couch surf] when their tenancy couldn’t be protected, they usually couldn’t safe various housing,” he stated.

“The numerous decline within the availability of properties to lease and the shortage of different housing choices for folks has made the work of stopping homelessness more and more troublesome.”

Liam Reid, chairman of the charity, stated regardless of the housing disaster being broadly acknowledged “we now have but to see main inroads when it comes to its decision”.

“The variety of folks contacting our advisers for help continues to develop and we now have expanded our sources to cater for this, together with our work in driving legislative change,” he stated.

“Threshold is dedicated to investing additional in our providers by hiring extra folks, rising our earnings, and evolving our buildings. These measures are aimed toward guaranteeing we are able to preserve extra renters of their properties, advise extra folks, and enhance our advocacy on behalf of individuals within the personal rental sector.”