Middle class homelessness ?
Charities claimed yesterday that middles class people face the biggest threat of homelessness for over a century, as many are losing their jobs, which in turn is leading to losing their homes, and because they do not rapidly qualify for council housing, which in turn is being affected by cuts, many are ending up on the streets.
The claim was made by Geoff Hawkins, chief executive of the housing charity Chapter 1.
In terms of hard facts, requests for Local authority accommodation rose sharply during the 1st quarter of 2011 to over 26,000, which represents an increase of 23% from the previous year and the number of home repossessions rose 17% during the first quarter of 2011, to nearly 10,000. Many believe if interest rates rise, this will be the proverbial tip of the iceberg.
The stark warning about homelessness is reflected in a leaked letter to the Prime Minister warning that 40,000 people are at risk of homeless as a consequence of housing benefits cuts.
