Essex: Increase in social housing applicants across county

The number of applicants on waiting lists for social housing in Essex has increased by 6% in the last 12 months, the BBC has revealed.

More than 26,500 applicants are on a council waiting list in the county.

Across England, the number of people in temporary accommodation is at a 25-year high, according to official figures.

The government claims it has given £2bn over three years to help local authorities tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.

Figures from Maldon District Council showed a 25% increase in applications over the last year, and an 18% increase at Chelmsford City Council.

There are 5,500 on the waiting list at Harlow Council.

Dan Swords, the Conservative council leader there, told BBC Essex: "We have enormous challenges but we are taking some pretty serious and radical action now."

The number of applications for social housing have also increased in Basildon, Brentwood, Rochford and Epping Forest

Five councils have seen slight drops; Braintree, Castle Point, Colchester, Tendring and Uttlesford.

Last week, councils in Essex were among 150 local authorities signing a joint letter to government calling for immediate intervention to help with temporary accommodation.

The Michael Roberts Charitable Trust works with people and families in temporary accommodation and also runs a food bank in Harlow.

"It's heartbreaking," said chief executive Andy Thornton.

"It is mostly affecting those who at some point in their lives end up in some misfortune and that point of misfortune is more likely to happen now because rent is going up and the benefits, that are likely to meet that rent, are not going up."

A government official has said: "We are committed to delivering 300,000 new homes per year and investing £11.5bn to build the affordable quality homes this country needs."

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