UK homelessness has doubled since 2010

Everyone should be able to afford the basic necessity of shelter

Sign, help, cash and begging from Unsplash (All CC)

In September, the National Audit Office revealed the number of people sleeping on the streets has soared by 134 per cent since 2010. The bite of austerity has disproportionately impacted Britain’s poorest. Welfare reforms and cuts have seen a sharp rise in rough sleepers and people without a place to call home.

A summary of current figures on the dire state of homelessness in Britain:

Mahatma Ghandi said “a nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members”. A country were homelessness increases year-on-year is not the Britain I want to live in. The streets and shifting between temporary accommodation should not be an option, it’s time for a citizens income so everyone can afford the basic necessity of shelter.

Luke Brett, Editor of Basic Income Britain.