Wales Experiences Record Levels of Homelessness

Charmaine Denton has been seeking a permanent residence for over two years, a situation she shares with many others. The 38-year-old expressed a strong desire to relocate, having spent three years in supported housing, which she stated negatively impacted her mental health and made her feel as though her life was paused. Homelessness in Wales has reached an unprecedented level, with the number of individuals utilizing temporary accommodation, such as B&Bs, increasing by 18% to 6,447 in the 2023-24 period. Charmaine, who is from Carmarthenshire, commented: “I was hoping to put up my own Christmas tree this year. I just want somewhere to call home – that’s what everyone deserves, isn’t it?” She entered care at the age of three and experienced a turbulent upbringing. By 14, she was residing in temporary accommodation, and she secured her first flat two years later. “I wasn’t ready to be self-reliant and run my own property. I don’t think many 16-year-olds are,” she stated. While she accepts full responsibility for her actions, she attributed a lack of support and a chaotic life to her use of heroin and crack cocaine. “You don’t recognise you’re going to be really heavily into drugs when you’re 16, you just think it’s one big party.” She subsequently lost her flat, was incarcerated, slept on the streets, and lived in various temporary accommodations. “It was hard trying to stay clean there. I’m not blaming anyone, but there’s only so much you can keep away from it when people are fighting in the hallway and they’re up at three in the morning, knocking your door flat out.” Charmaine currently resides in a shared recovery-focused house managed by the homeless charity, The Wallich. Her accommodation is one of nine rooms, each equipped with a bathroom and kitchenette, and she takes pride in having transformed her life, aspiring to contribute positively to others. She added: “My past made me stronger, I don’t look at it as bad – I look at it as experience. I’m hoping I can turn it round into a positive.” She wishes to continue her voluntary work but is unable to do so until she secures a permanent home. This year marks her fourth Christmas spent in temporary accommodation. Jamie-Lee Cole from The Wallich described Charmaine’s circumstances as illustrative of the bottleneck within temporary accommodation, where there is a “swelling” of individuals requiring it but no available options for their onward movement. She noted that, in addition to the impact on Charmaine’s mental health, some individuals face a risk of relapse or reoffending. Homelessness is presently at its highest point since 2015, affecting 13,539 households in 2023-24, an 8% increase within a year. The Bevan Foundation think tank reported that one in every 215 households and six in every 1,000 children are now living in temporary accommodation. Newport, recognized as the fastest-growing city in Wales, records the nation’s highest homelessness rate, which has surged by over 50% in the past year to a record 1,359 households. In September 2024, 594 households were housed in temporary accommodation, incurring a cost of £6.5m for the city’s council, an increase of £1.4m from the preceding year. Thursday mornings are particularly busy at the housing drop-in service located at Newport Central Library. Hannah Berry, a Housing advice and prevention officer, observed: “People can be very angry, upset, frustrated… they just want a home.” She identified turning people away as the most challenging aspect of her role. “We do our very best to help everybody, but we’re restricted by budget, lack of housing, lack of provision and lack of other services.” As a mother herself, she found it especially difficult to witness families with children “facing the toughest thing in their lives.” Kath Howells from Newport council stated that Wales is experiencing the full impact of the housing crisis, with private rented properties being unaffordable for most people and a scarcity of alternative options. She explained that high demand and a very low turnover of housing association stock prevent them from being able to “move people into the homes they need and deserve.” She advised individuals at risk of losing their homes to contact the council as soon as possible. Steffan Evans from The Bevan Foundation highlighted that the proportion of social homes within the total housing stock has nearly halved over 40 years. He commented: “We know that the Welsh government has got its 20,000 affordable homes target… but that target can’t be the end, we need to go further than that,” he said. The Welsh government affirmed that addressing homelessness is a priority, having “allocated record levels of funding” totaling £1.4bn since 2021, and is investing nearly £220m this year in homelessness prevention and housing support. A spokesman further added: “The increase in people being supported with temporary accommodation reflects the ongoing pressures within the system and the effects of the cost-of-living crisis on individuals and households.”