Empty properties could solve homelessness in district
A district's homeless problem could be solved by freeing up less than 10 per cent of its empty properties, new figures have shown.
All 31 people currently classed as homeless in South Staffordshire could have a roof over their heads if they were allowed to live in empty properties, of which there are 345 in the district.
Though the number of homeless in South Staffordshire is relatively low, the data shines a light on the fact there are many properties being left empty for long periods.
Campaigners suggest some of these could be used to ease the homelessness crisis.
It is an picture that is reflected nationally.
There are an estimated 320,000 homeless people in Britain according to the charity Shelter while there are some 322,386 homes that are vacant on a long-term basis, having been empty for more than six months.
Shelter said the number of homeless in the West Midlands as a whole had reached 23,715, an increase of 64 per cent from 2016.
Colby Short, chief executive of GetAgent.co.uk, which carried out the research, said: “We know that the number of people living on the streets of Britain is far higher than the current estimates and it’s impossible to tell just how many people are homeless and in need of housing.
"But even with these conservative estimates, many areas of Britain would require just a small percentage of the many empty homes available to make a difference when it comes to providing housing for the less fortunate.
"Unfortunately, this isn’t the case everywhere and some areas would need far more empty homes to address the issue and even then, it isn’t as clear cut as providing empty housing to those without any at all."
Vicky Hines, Shelter Birmingham hub manager, said: “Homelessness blights lives and leaves a lasting imprint of trauma, and yet close to 24,000 people in the West Midlands are without a home this Christmas. And many are only days away from joining them.
“As well as those facing serious ill-health or even death sleeping rough on our streets this winter, there are too many families trapped in grotty emergency B&Bs, with no space for children to sit and eat, let alone play. This is the grim truth our new government must confront and do something radical to change."
