Richard Boyd Barrett: Warns 100% Rise in Family Homelessness
Richard Boyd Barrett warned that the number of people in emergency accommodation is "absolutely shocking", highlighting a 100% rise in families in emergency accommodation since 2016 and a shortage of three- and four-bedroom homes. He said many of those now stuck in emergency accommodation are families with children, often with special needs, and challenged what would be done to address child and family homelessness; the minister said about 100 million had been allocated for families and is being worked on.
Main claims
Richard Boyd Barrett condemned the scale of emergency accommodation, saying the numbers are "absolutely shocking" and drawing particular attention to family and child homelessness and long stays in emergency accommodation.
Scale of the problem
He said the numbers of families in emergency accommodation have risen by 100% since 2016 and reported that many of the current cases brought to him involve families with children, including those with special needs, remaining in emergency settings for extended periods.
Causes cited
He attributed part of the problem to an overreliance on private developers who tend to build one- and two-bedroom units because they are more profitable, leading to an insufficient delivery of three- and four-bedroom houses needed by families.
Minister's response
In reply, the minister noted that about 100 million in additional money has been provided specifically for families to try to tackle the issues raised and said work is underway to address those in emergency accommodation.
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T-Shock, the number of people in emergency accommodation in this country is absolutely shocking, Annis, but I want to particularly highlight the issue of family and child homelessness. The numbers of families in emergency accommodation have gone up by 100% since 2016, absolutely shocking, and most of the cases, or many if not the majority of cases coming in to me now, of people stuck in emergency accommodation are families with children, often with special needs, in there for long periods of time because of the lack of three and four bedroom houses. There's a problem with one and two bedroom houses, but there's an even bigger problem with three and four bedroom houses, because we're relying so much on private developers who are tending to build one or two bedrooms, because they make more profit from one and two bedrooms, and there's not the delivery we need of three and four bedrooms, and that is contributing directly to child and family homelessness being disproportionately bad in terms of keeping people in emergency accommodation. What are you going to do about it? And Deputy Boyd Barrett, emergency accommodation numbers, there are big issues there, no, there's a wider issue there, it's not, it's a complex issue emergency accommodation, it's not simple, by any, three and four bedrooms, the Minister has received about 100 million additional money specifically for families, specifically to try and deal with issues that you've referenced, those who are in emergency accommodation that require housing, and he's working on that. Thank you. Thank you.
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