Number of Homeless in UK Rises Threefold in Four Years Amid Benefits Cuts

The study revealed that the number of people facing homelessness in Britain who applied for help in their local councils increased by 9 percent last year, while "rough sleeping," sleeping on the street, increased by 5 percent.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The number of people facing homelessness in Britain has increased threefold, to 280,000 since 2009-2010, due to cuts in social benefits, according to research published by UK-based organizations Crisis charity and housing trust Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) Wednesday.

The disturbing trend is not fully reflected in official government data, according to the study.

"Today's report reveals the true scale of homelessness in England, which headline figures no longer reflect," Chief Executive of Crisis, Jon Sparkes, said in a statement. "[Local] Council officials are clear that benefit cuts and sanctions are taking a dreadful toll on people's lives, with rising numbers facing the loss of their home at a time when councils are being forced to cut services."

The study revealed that the number of people facing homelessness who applied for help in their local councils increased by 9 percent last year, while "rough sleeping," sleeping on the street, increased by 5 percent. The sharpest increases in homelessness have been observed in London and in the South of the country.

"Survey findings strongly suggest that the sharp rise in people becoming homeless after the loss of a privately rented home [now accounting for 30% of cases] is due in large part to housing benefit cuts, which are also making it harder for councils to rehouse people who lose their home," the report read.

Nearly 90 percent of councils believe that welfare cuts will keep affecting homelessness with over half of them expecting that the situation could worsen in the next two years.

"If we are to prevent a deepening crisis, we must look to secure alternatives to home ownership for those who cannot afford to buy – longer-term, secure accommodation at prices that those on the lowest incomes can afford," JRF's Chief Executive, Julia Unwin, said.

Last year's welfare cuts pushed 1.75 million British households into deeper poverty. Some 300,000 households experienced a cut in their housing benefit, according to research by Oxfam and the New Policy Institute.