Charity says terrible reality of Essex's homelessness issue should be a 'wake up call'

A charity boss has warned that the reality of homelessness in Essex should act as a wake-up call. It comes as new official figures show the number of homeless children living in temporary accommodation continues to increase, with almost 5,000 homeless children in temporary housing.

A total of 4,923 Essex children were in housing such as hotels and B&Bs between October and December 2024. That's an increase compared to the previous quarter (4,673) and in the same period of 2023 (4,218).

Maria Quaife, CEO of the S.M.I.L.E London and Essex charity, described the updated data as "deeply concerning". They said: "These figures reflect the reality we see every day on the ground. Behind every statistic is a child without a stable home, often missing out on consistent education, struggling with their mental health, and living in spaces completely unfit for family life.

"We work with families in temporary accommodation across Essex, and the need is growing, not shrinking. Many are placed in hotels or B&Bs with no cooking facilities, far from their support networks, and with no certainty about what comes next."

However, the increase is not exclusive to Essex. There were more than 165,000 homeless children living in temporary accommodation across England during the most recent timeframe.

Despite the overall rise in the number of homeless families living in temporary accommodation, the number stuck there long term has been falling under Labour. There were a total of 3,110 homeless families across England who had been living in temporary accommodation for at least six weeks at the end of 2024. That’s down from 3,470 in the three months to October and 3,770 in the three months to July, which was the record high.

In Essex, 38 families had been in B&Bs for over six weeks at the end of last year. That’s down from 69 in the three months to October and 42 at the end of 2023.

Ms Quaife added: "While we’re encouraged to see a drop in the number of families in B&Bs for over six weeks, the fact that nearly 5,000 children were homeless in Essex at the end of 2024 should be a wake-up call. At the same time, we’re seeing a sharp decline in grants and financial support for grassroots charities – the very organisations who are on the frontline supporting these families. The demand on our services is increasing, but the resources to meet that need are diminishing."

The problem of homeless households having to live in temporary accommodation is more prominent in some parts of the country. The highest rates of households living in temporary homes are all in London.

Harlow has the highest rate in Essex, with 9.9 households per 1,000 in the local authority being homeless and in temporary accommodation. The Essex town recently set out a plan to eradicate homelessness in the district within five years and they are building new modular homes on derelict sites to support vulnerable people who need housing.

Harlow Council were approached for a comment. They had not replied at the time of publication.

The Minister for Homelessness Rushanara Ali said: "Reversing the years of failure this government has inherited will not be easy but we’re wasting no time in ending this devastating crisis, with a record £1 billion going to crucial homelessness services this year, helping councils to support families faster. We will go even further to tackle all forms of homelessness through prevention and addressing its root causes. This goes alongside our mission to build 1.5 million new homes as part of our Plan for Change - boosting social and affordable housing and protecting renters by abolishing section 21 no fault evictions."