Hundreds facing homelessness in Beds, Bucks and Herts this Christmas
New figures found just under 1,000 people in Bucks are sleeping rough
Hundreds of people in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire are expected to be without a home this Christmas, highlighting the urgent issue of homelessness in the region.
Local charities have raised alarm about the growing number of individuals and families without stable housing. They are calling on the community and policymakers to take action to provide support.
In a recent statement, Honor Fitzgerald from the Aylesbury Homeless Action Group said that the situation was critical: “We’ve had to stop taking on new clients for the moment.”
She added that the situation is so dire that they have had to implement a "one in, one out" system to manage with the overwhelming number of people seeking help.
New figures from charity Shelter, using data from the Ministry of Housing found that 987 people were sleeping rough across Bucks in June, with the number likely being higher in the winter.
Of these figures, the vast majority are living in temporary accommodation, but others have taken to the streets as a result of their homelessness.
It is not just young people that are being affected as a result of homelessness, as Honor revealed that people of all ages are susceptible to losing their home.
"We recently had a couple who were 87 and 83," she explained, "we were able, luckily, to prevent their eviction, but the thought of someone's 83 or 87-year-old grandparent having to live in temporary accommodation is just heart-wrenching."
The rising homelessness rates have triggered concerns about the availability of resources and shelters during the colder months. Charities in the area are working tirelessly to ensure vulnerable individuals can access food, temporary accommodation, and support services.
It comes amid rising cases in Section 21 evictions, also known as no-fault evictions, which are due to come into force in May next year.
Honor said that there was continued confusion from both sides of the debate: "Things aren't being made as clear for landlords or tenants.
"There's a lot of kind of crossed wires, people are just trying to protect themselves and I think if things were a little bit more simple then things would be a lot easier in terms of how we navigate things like that."
While many families come together for festive celebrations, the plight of those facing homelessness serves as a sobering reminder of the challenges some in the community are enduring.