Report Reveals Thousands of Children Homeless in South East England Ahead of Christmas

A new report by Shelter indicates that thousands of children residing in Kent, Surrey, and Sussex are anticipated to be homeless this Christmas. The document, titled “Homelessness in England 2024,” released on Wednesday, estimates that 9,405 children are currently living with their parents or guardians in temporary accommodation across the South East region. Brighton & Hove recorded 1,411 homeless children, followed by 918 in Medway Towns in Kent and 665 in Hastings, East Sussex. Even in Surrey, a county known for some of the most affluent areas outside London, 1,342 children were documented as lacking a permanent home. The charity asserts that its data is “likely to be an underestimate of the true scale of homelessness,” as it does not encompass unofficial forms of homelessness, such as sofa-surfing. Shelter states that a “chronic shortage” of homes for social rent means families “have little hope of moving into a safe and secure home anytime soon.” Instead, they spend months crowded into B&B rooms, frequently sharing kitchens and bathrooms with strangers. The report highlights the experience of Tia, who, along with her mother, Natalie, was homeless for the first four years of her life. Tia, now a college student, shared her recollections: “Often we only had one bed, so I spent most of my childhood sharing a bed with mum.” She further explained, “In fact, in one place, the room was so small we had to eat, sleep, and play on the bed. “I know my mum did everything she could to protect me. She tried her best to distract me from the terrifying world we were living in,” she said. “Now, I feel lucky to have my own bedroom, but I did find it really hard to get used to. I’d only ever shared a bed with mum, so it took a long time to feel safe in my own bedroom. “We used to have a little celebration whenever I managed to spend the whole night in my own bed,” Tia said. Describing their temporary accommodation, she added, “When we were living in temporary accommodation, it was like a safety net full of massive holes that could break at any second.” Tia concluded, “Growing up homeless has definitely impacted me. I know that all mum wanted for me was a normal childhood.” Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, commented that as the country prepares for the festive season, many are “forced to shiver on the wet streets or in a mouldy hostel room with their entire family.” She elaborated, “Across the South East, extortionate private rents combined with a dire lack of genuinely affordable social homes is trapping more and more people in homelessness.” Ms. Neate also observed, “Parents are spending sleepless nights worrying about their children growing up in cramped and often damaging temporary accommodation, as weeks and months turn into years without somewhere secure for them to call home.” Ms. Neate urged the government to construct additional social housing “to end the housing emergency for good.” Information regarding BBC Sussex can be found on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas may be submitted to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 08081 002250. This material is Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC does not assume responsibility for the content of external sites and details its approach to external linking.