THE number of homeless children in Barnsley being housed in temporary accommodation is on the rise, new figures have revealed.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government statistics show 42 households were living in temporary accommodation as of the end of March.
Of these, 24 households had 56 children - up from 53 a year earlier.
Nationally, a record 120,000 households were living in temporary accommodation.
Meanwhile, the number of children rose by 15 per cent, surpassing 150,000 and reaching the highest figure since records began in 2004.
Temporary accommodation is a form of homelessness and can include people living in hostels or bed and breakfasts.
In Barnsley, eight households were living in B and B hotels as of March.
By law B and Bs are meant to be used only for families in an emergency and for no longer than six weeks.
But across England, the number of households with children exceeding that timeframe has rocketed by 80 per cent from 1,810 in 2023 to 3,250 this year.
This included one in Barnsley.
Housing charity Shelter said this government must ‘tackle the housing emergency head on’.
Chief executive Polly Neate said: “As we hit yet another devastating record on homelessness, and evictions continue to rise, this government must succeed where previous governments have failed and tackle the housing emergency head on.
“Without a clear plan to invest in genuinely affordable social homes, thousands more children will be forced to grow up in damaging temporary accommodation, spending months if not years living out of suitcases, crammed into grim bedsits and B and Bs, and unable to put down any roots.
“The government must urgently establish a cross-department homelessness strategy and scrap no fault evictions if we are to end homelessness.
“Our Brick-by-Brick report shows how it can ramp up to 90,000 social rent homes a year in this parliament.
“Social housing would pay for itself within a few years, and in doing so relieve the pressure on private renting, generate new jobs, and create savings for the NHS and benefits bill.”
Coun Wendy Cain, cabinet spokesperson for public health and communities, said: “We are seeing an increasing number of families nationwide seeking support from homeless services, which has unfortunately led to a rise in the use of temporary accommodations, including bed and breakfasts.
“In Barnsley, our team is actively working to minimise the number of families placed in B and Bs and to reduce the duration of their stay when such placements are unavoidable.
“We are committed to addressing homelessness at its roots by working closely with our partners and communities.
“By identifying the risk of homelessness early, we aim to keep people in their homes and prevent the need for temporary accommodation.
“We understand that the broader housing challenges - such as pressures on social housing waiting lists, affordability issues, limited access to private rental properties, the general cost of living, and competing demands for accommodation - are contributing to this situation and placing additional strain on families.
“We encourage anyone experiencing housing difficulties to contact us as early as possible.
“By contacting us sooner, we can provide the necessary support and explore all available options to help prevent homelessness and ensure that families receive the assistance they need in a timely manner.”
