Space for Greater Manchester homeless 'could run out'

Space to house homeless people in Greater Manchester "could run out" by January due to "unbelievable demand", a charity boss has warned.

Mustard Tree's Jo Walby said there had been a 30% increase in people needing temporary housing since May, with more than 3,500 now living in hotels and B&Bs and 106 sleeping rough.

She added that the "number one cause" of homelessness was now poverty.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said it was a "precarious" situation.

Latest figures showed 2,285 families and 1,300 individuals were living in temporary accommodation in the region.

A further 480 people were being given somewhere to stay under Greater Manchester Combined Authority's A Bed Every Night scheme and about 480 more were being helped by the government's Everyone In policy.

Ms Walby said there would be "real issues about not having any space" in temporary settings in January and February when demand typically goes up.

"As well as the guys on the streets, I'm worried about the fact there are mums with kids in B&Bs and hotels and that's going up," she said.

"The number one cause of homelessness now is poverty [and] it used to be relationship breakdown.

"There are more and more people coming in who just can't cope from a financial point of view."

She added that the charity was using its hardship fund to pay people's rent arrears "for the first time ever" to try and "keep people where they are over winter".

Mr Burnham said the situation was "very worrying", as the full economic effect of the coronavirus pandemic had "not yet been felt".

He said "more and more people" were in "financial distress" as they had been made redundant, despite the furlough scheme being extended.

He said people who had "nothing coming in", such as freelancers, contractors and newly self-employed people, would add to the figures.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said "unprecedented action" had been taken to support the most vulnerable, with £700m used to tackle homelessness.

A spokesman added that a £15m Protect Programme had begun to help rough sleepers.

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