Homeless families are getting “stuck in a vicious circle”, homelessness charity Shelter has warned. Those who are housed find themselves back on the streets due to lack of support.
Shelter found that 56 per cent of families who sought help from its ‘homeless to home’ scheme had been homeless more than once before joining the project.

Most faced one or more problems that kept them in a cycle of homelessness, including depression, the cost of furnishing a home and managing debt on a low income.

Shelter’s analysis of the DTLR’s figures showed that more than 40 per cent of people placed in temporary accommodation lived there for longer than a year.

The number of people living in interim lodgings hit a record high of 78,620 in December 2001 (Housing Today, 18 April).

Director Chris Holmes said: “Simply giving a family the key to a new home is not enough. Many have to tackle a complex range of acute problems, as well as recovering from often deeply traumatic events in their lives.

“Without vital support to ensure that they are able to settle into their new home, many families can become homeless again, entering a revolving door of homelessness.”

The homeless to home service provides emotional and practical help to more than 400 families. It offers support in dealing with bills and benefit payments, decorating and liaising with police over violent ex-partners.

Shelter’s report on the service, Firm foundations, found that it had helped around 90 per cent of such families to remain in their new homes.

Holmes added: “The success of this service lies in building effective links with local services and organisations and working closely with the local community so that families can integrate into an area and deal with their problems.

“This report is timely in showing how important it is for local authorities to produce proper strategic plans to help homeless people under new duties in the Homelessness Act 2002.”