There has been a record rise in instances of homelessness linked to Section 21 no fault evictions, new data released today has revealed.
The number of households made homeless or threatened with homelessness following a Section 21 no fault eviction in 2023 reached a record total of 25,910 – the highest annual total recorded.
The figure for the last three months of 2023 was 5,790 households – a 10.9% increase on the previous year’s quarter (5,220 households in Q4 2022).
The statistics, released by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, also found record levels of child homelessness, with 145,800 dependent children living in emergency temporary accommodation in the final quarter of 2023.
The number of households with children in temporary accommodation increased by 15% over the previous year’s quarter (December 2022).
The data comes as the Renters (Reform) Bill, repeatedly delayed by the Government, is on its way to the House of Lords having passed its House of Commons stages.
Campaigners have criticised the legislation for being watered down in favour of landlords, and warned that it will need to be significantly strengthened for it to make a difference to the renting crisis.
Tom Darling, campaign manager at the Renters’ Reform Coalition, said: “Shockingly, homelessness statistics in England continues to see new records shattered every few months.
“Every week sees more families evicted and growing pressure on the budgets of councils struggling to meet the rising cost of homelessness support.
“And yet observing this steadily spiralling crisis, it is maddening to watch the government’s approach to the Renters (Reform) Bill, one of the key levers at its disposal to tackle this crisis.
“Neglected, dropped, picked back up again, delayed, deprioritised, and – finally – gutted of key provisions by a group of pro-landlord MPs.
“Because of all of this, and other concessions made to landlords, the Renters (Reform) Bill currently on its way to the House of Lords will fail to touch the sides of this crisis.
“To start putting some of these harrowing homelessness statistics into reverse, the bill needs major surgery in the Lords.”
