One of the key drivers for the rise in homelessness is said to be the loss of private sector tenancies through ‘no fault evictions’
File photo of a homeless person sleeping rough(Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire)
Rough sleeping has increased by 160% in one part of Merseyside as a new council report revealed the scale of the problem, and the difficulties in finding lasting solutions. The stark figures were presented tonight (September 24), at a Knowsley Council’s cabinet meeting in Huyton’s Municipal Buildings.
Councillors were asked to assess the local authority’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy for 2025 to 2030 and approve the report’s recommendations. The review found that Knowsley experiences a rate of homelessness higher than the average for England, and 4% higher during the period 2021/22 – 2023/24. The latest figures show there are 1,147 households experiencing homelessness.
The council report said the rise in homelessness and rough sleeping is largely driven by a loss of private sector tenancies and family and friends no longer willing or able to accommodate those individuals. The data shows there has been a 160% increase in rough sleeping across Knowsley, rising from 40 to 104 known cases.
The local authority said the loss of private sector accommodation is increasing demand for homelessness services, driven by landlords choosing to exit the market. This is a cause for concern because Knowsley already has a lower proportion of private rented sector housing compared to the England average.
The reduction in this sector has been shown to have a knock-on impact on attempts to minimise homelessness, because lower supply has led to increased rental premiums that landlords can charge.
Cllr Tony Brennan, Knowsley Council’s cabinet member for economic development and regeneration, presented the report into the borough’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025 to 2030.
Cllr Brennan said: “Since 2002 the council has had a statutory duty to review homelessness and to develop a strategy to effectively tackle the issues of homelessness, which must be renewed every five years.
“In September 2024, Campbell Tickell housing consultancy were commissioned to undertake a thorough review of homelessness in Knowsley.
“The review found that the main causes of homelessness within Knowsley where the end of private sector tenancies and the breakdown in informal living arrangements with family and friends.
“The council has seen a rise in homelessness and rough sleeping within the border since 2021. Overall, homelessness has increased by 4% to 1,147 homeless households during 2023/2024.
“Rough sleeping has become more visible, with the number reported to be rough sleeping each month more than doubling since 2023, and over the past five years, the number of households who are accommodated in temporary accommodation each night has risen from 40 to 104.”
The homelessness review provided valuable insight and the foundation for the new homelessness and rough sweeping strategy which sets out the council’s priorities and ambition, supported by a clear plan of action, which will provide a pathway to enable our services to effectively respond to homelessness.
Cllr Brennan added: “We do, however, recognise that is not always possible to prevent homelessness, and where this is the case, we will wait to ensure that this is as brief as possible and does not reoccur.”