Almost 300,000 families 'experiencing the worst forms of homelessness', major report shows

Housing charity Crisis says this includes people being forced to sleep on the streets and in unsuitable temporary accommodation such as nightly-paid B&Bs and hostels

Almost 300,000 families are experiencing the worst forms of homelessness, according to a new report on the growing emergency.

Charity Crisis says this includes people being forced to sleep on the streets and in unsuitable temporary accommodation such as nightly-paid B&Bs and hostels.

It shows 299,100 households in England faced acute homelessness in 2024 - a 21% increase since 2022 and a staggering 45% hike since 2012 when the figure was 206,400.

The charity's report says: "These increases have been driven by inflation squeezing real incomes and increasing poverty and destitution, private rents rising alongside evictions,