Guy Horne, CEO of social impact real estate firm, HSPG comments:
“The fact that there was a 32% increase in 2021 in the number of people who died while homeless in the UK is heart-breaking – worse still, this cannot come as a surprise.
There are over 1 million people on the housing waiting list. Yet, according to the government’s latest housing statistics, the number of Affordable Homes built between April and September 2021 was down 7% on the previous year, and the lowest since 2017.
This crisis is only set to escalate, house prices are growing at the fastest rate for 17 years, with the average price of a home now a fifth higher than it was two year ago. Rising energy bills, food and transport costs mean UK’s lowest income families are set to lose a fifth of their disposable income in 2022.
The number of individuals at risk of homelessness is now rising at an alarming rate.
If we do not redirect our attention urgently to the provision of Affordable and Supported Housing, we are ignoring a worsening national tragedy.”