Shelter’s shocking new analysis of government figures reveals that 56,000 primary school children in England are set to spend Christmas without a home this year. That’s the equivalent of one child homeless in every third primary school classroom in England.
As England’s schools approach the end of term, Shelter is sounding the alarm about the devastating number of children who will be spending the holidays in a freezing hostel or a grotty hotel or B&B room. The figures – obtained by Shelter through a Freedom of Information request to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – show that primary school children are the worst affected age group in England, with the equivalent of 1 in 84 set to spend this Christmas homeless in often grim and unstable temporary accommodation.
Shelter’s analysis also shines a spotlight on the areas of the country where schools have the highest numbers of pupils who are homeless. London comes out as the worst affected area in England, with at least 1 in 24 primary school children homeless in temporary accommodation across the city, the equivalent of one in every classroom.
The figures also show the local authorities across the country with the highest rates of school children in temporary accommodation:
Newham is the worst affected area with the equivalent of 61 children – or one in nine – homeless in every school – up by 10% since 2022.
Outside of London, Luton comes out worst, with the equivalent of 20 children homeless in every school – up 16% during the same period.
Outside of the south of England, Birmingham is highest, with the equivalent of 15 children homeless in every school – up 28%.
Councils have a legal responsibility to accommodate most families who are homeless. However, rocketing rents and a severe shortage of social rent homes force local authorities to rely on temporary accommodation for long periods. Shelter’s frontline services regularly hear from families who are expected to move miles away from friends and communities to move into temporary accommodation, which is often not suitable. These types of moves can make it difficult for parents to get their children to school, and many children arrive tired after sleepless nights in their cramped and often unsafe accommodation. More than half of parents (52%) say their children have missed days of school as a result of living in temporary accommodation.
Polly Neate, Chief Executive of Shelter, said: “It’s heartbreaking that one in three primary school classrooms include a child who will spend this Christmas homeless. While their classmates are excited for the holidays ahead, many children face winter in a freezing cold bedsit or grotty B&B room, unwrapping their presents as their breath hangs in the air.
“Families across the country tell us the housing emergency is damaging their children’s education. Thousands are growing up without the space or basic facilities to sleep, play or do their homework. They travel for hours only to arrive at school exhausted, where they struggle to concentrate and fall behind in their work.
“To give children a chance to succeed, the government must end the nightmare of child homelessness by building a new generation of decent social rent homes. Until then, Shelter needs the public’s support more than ever to continue doing all we can to fight for families on the frontline of the housing emergency.”
Fauzia, 44, her husband and her three children were made homeless by a no fault (Section 21) eviction seven years ago. The family were initially placed in a hotel in Enfield before being moved into temporary accommodation in Ealing. The move has been hugely disruptive for the family, with Fauzia’s children now facing long journeys every day to get to school in Waltham Cross on the other side of London.
The family’s physical and mental health is also being drastically impacted by the serious disrepair in the temporary accommodation. The toilet blocks regularly, with raw sewage backflowing into the bathroom sink. The windows in their accommodation don’t open, causing damp and mould to spread across the flat.
Fauzia said: “There are so many problems – the house is freezing cold and poor plumbing leads the toilet to flood every day. It took weeks for the agency to fix it, only for it to break down again. I tried to contact the council, but they ignored me – I just don’t know what to do.
“The journey to get my children to school is killing me. My back hurts and we’re constantly late because our accommodation is so far away. It ends up being such a long day for them; they fall asleep in the car because they’re so exhausted. When we finally get home, there’s barely enough time for them to eat dinner and have a bath. My children are missing out on their childhoods.
“We have been moving since our children were very young. We have been in temporary accommodation for seven years now and every day we pack our things in case we’re told to move again at short notice. It has taken an enormous toll.”
Shelter’s frontline services are doing all they can to support thousands of people facing homelessness this winter – from providing expert advice to families stuck in unsafe and unsuitable temporary accommodation, to giving emergency help to people at risk of having to sleep rough. The charity is asking the public to donate to its Urgent Appeal to help it be there for the thousands of people experiencing homelessness this winter. Donate now at shelter.org.uk/winterappeal
