MORE than 100 people in Barnsley will spend Christmas without a home, new figures suggest.
Research from homelessness charity Shelter shows more than 382,000 people in England, including over 175,000 children, will spend this Christmas homeless.
The charity said a shortage of social homes, unaffordable private rents and the housing benefit freeze are pushing more people into homelessness.
Using data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Shelter’s analysis reveals some 131 people were homeless in Barnsley as of June, which corresponds to one in 1,922 people in the area.
Of them, around 124 were living in temporary accommodation, while the charity estimates seven were sleeping on the streets based on Autumn 2024 data.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced on Wednesday evening a new cross-government plan towards ending rough sleeping and homelessness.
The new strategy pledges to halve the number of long-term rough sleepers, end the unlawful use of B and Bs as temporary accommodation for more than six weeks for families and prevent thousands more households from becoming homeless, and will be backed by a £3.5bn investment over the next three years.
Sarah Elliott, chief executive of Shelter, said: “With more than 382,000 people homeless today, the government is doing the right thing by giving this scandal the attention it deserves.
“While the focus on preventing homelessness in its strategy is positive, we still badly need a plan to get the people who are currently stuck in temporary accommodation, or on the streets, into a safe home.”
She added the charity welcomes the government’s £39bn investment in social and affordable homes announced earlier this year, but warned ‘until a lot more of these social homes are built, one of the only ways to escape homelessness is if you can afford to pay a private rent’.
“We know from our frontline services this is almost impossible to do when housing benefit remains frozen, and that is where the homelessness strategy falls short,” she said.
“Many of the families calling Shelter are stuck in inherently damaging temporary accommodation for years this should not be the tolerated norm.
“For the government’s strategy to work, its goal must be to wipe out homelessness in its entirety.
“This requires unfreezing housing benefit to help people right now, as well as delivering 90,000 new social rent homes a year for ten years.”
Housing Secretary Steve Reed said: “Homelessness is one of the most profound challenges we face as a society, because at the heart, it’s about people.
“Families deserve stability, children need a safe place to grow, and individuals simply want the dignity of a home.
“Through our new strategy we can build a future where homelessness is rare, brief, and not repeated.
“With record investment, new duties on public services, and a relentless focus on accountability, we will turn ambition into reality.”
Coun Wendy Cain, cabinet spokesperson for public health and communities, said: “Homelessness can affect anyone and comes in many forms. In Barnsley, we recognise that everyone’s circumstances are different. For some, it arises from sudden changes in their home situation, making it unsafe to stay. For others, homelessness may be connected to ongoing challenges, which can lead to rough sleeping or temporary accommodation.
“In Barnsley, we are committed to addressing these issues through a proactive approach. Our team carries out regular rough sleeper counts to monitor the situation closely. Fortunately, the number of rough sleepers in our area remains low compared to national figures, but we know that even one person experiencing homelessness is one too many.
“Support is available every single day. Our dedicated teams are out early in the mornings and late at night to reach people who may need help. We understand that not everyone feels ready to engage with services right away, but we ensure that the offer of support is always there when they are ready.
“We work tirelessly with individuals and families to provide help as early as possible. If anyone finds themselves facing homelessness, we strongly encourage them to contact us at the earliest opportunity. This allows us to work together to find solutions and prevent situations from escalating.
“Barnsley Council is proud to work closely with local partners to deliver the objectives set out in our Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Strategy. This includes providing tailored support, improving access to safe and suitable housing, and addressing the root causes of homelessness.
“To learn more about the support available, please visit our website or reach out to our homelessness prevention team. Together, we can continue to build a community where everyone has a safe and stable place to call home.”
