How many homeless people, including children, there were in Preston, Chorley and South Ribble in 2022 according to Shelter

Shelter’s analysis of official homelessness figures and responses to a Freedom of Information request shows that homelessness is more acute in the North West than anywhere else in the country. 14,600 people in the North West are recorded as homeless, including 6,720 children, which means one in 507 are without a home.

When looking at the different areas of the North West, South Ribble comes out as having the 13th highest rate of homlessness, with 1 in 1011 people being homeless.

Of South Ribble’s 110 homeless, which includes 47 children, 98 live in temporary accommodation organised by the council and 12 in temporary accommodation organised by themselves or are homeless at home (which means they do not have a legal right to stay where they are.) None are reportedly on the streets.

Preston then has the 18th highest rate, with 1 in 1,872 being homeless, accounting for 79 people, including 25 children. Of these, six sleep on the streets on any given night, and 73 live in temporary accommodation organised by the council.

In a similar picture, with the 19th highest rate, 1 in 1,900 people in Chorley are homeless. Of their 62 people, including 15 children, five sleep on the streets and 57 live in council arranged temporary accommodation.

Across England, the number of people living in temporary accommodation has risen by 74% in the last 10 years – something Shelter argues is driven by the chronic shortage of social homes, and an over-reliance on expensive and unstable private renting. According to the charity, more than two-thirds of families living in temporary accommodation have been there for over a year, showing it is becoming less “temporary” as families cannot escape homelessness due to the severe lack of affordable homes, made worse by the three-year freeze on housing benefit.

Shelter also undertook the largest ever survey of homeless households living in temporary accommodation, and found that 63% say that living in temporary accommodation negatively impacts their mental health, 51% say it negatively impacts their physical health, and 39% say it has made it harder to access healthcare appointments.

Shelter is issuing an urgent appeal for public support as it braces for a sharp rise in homelessness in 2023. In the North West, an average of 140 calls per day are made to the charity’s emergency helpline. Across England, eight in ten callers are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, an 8% increase from last year.

Polly Neate, Shelter’s chief executive, said: “Our frontline advisers are working tirelessly to help people who are desperate to escape homelessness - from the parents doing all they can to provide some shred of a normal family life while stuck in an emergency B&B, to the person terrified of another night sleeping rough.

“With private rents and living costs continuing to soar, thousands of people are not just facing a winter of worry, they are at risk of losing the roof over their head. At Shelter, we are bracing ourselves for a sharp rise in homelessness in 2023. More than ever, we will be relying on the public’s generosity to help us support and campaign for all those fighting for a safe home.”

While Shelter’s analysis is the most comprehensive overview of recorded homelessness in the country, the true figure is likely to be much higher as some types of homelessness go entirely undocumented, such as sofa surfing.

To donate to Shelter’s Winter Appeal visit shelter.org.uk/donate.