ALARMING new figures from housing charity Shelter have revealed more than 8,300 people in England were put at risk of losing their home every week in the last year – the equivalent of 50 people each hour.
Shelter said: ‘In an analysis of statistics from the Ministry of Justice, the charity identified how many people are at risk of eviction and repossession, as well as the ‘home threat hotspots’ across the country where people are most likely to face the risk of losing their home.
‘Newham and Barking and Dagenham in London topped the list with as many as 1 in every 38 homes under threat of eviction or repossession, followed by and Haringey (1 in 45), also in the capital. But the problem stretches far beyond London. Areas such as Slough, where 1 in 58 homes are at risk, Peterborough (1 in 61) and Manchester (1 in 66) also made it into the top twenty home threat hotspots.
And these shocking figures are borne out by the sheer number of people visiting the Shelter website looking for advice on repossession and eviction, with 360,000 unique visitors in the last year alone.’
Nadeem Khan, helpline adviser for Shelter, said: ‘We’re hearing from thousands of people who have suffered in silence while they struggle to keep up with their rent or mortgage, and come to us in desperation when the court papers finally land on their doormat. It’s natural to feel helpless in the face of mounting bills, but getting expert advice as soon as you start having trouble with housing payments can really help you see the light at the end of the tunnel, and keep the threat of losing your home at bay.’
Alison Mohammed, Shelter’s director of services, said: ‘These staggering figures show just how many people are fighting to keep their families in their homes, after dealing with the double blow of welfare cuts and a drastic shortage of affordable housing. We’re doing everything we can to give advice and support to anyone who faces losing the roof over their heads.’
