Hundreds of homeless Bedford families spent last lockdown in temporary housing - including 130 children

"We need to see a level of focus and funding from the government which matches their initial response to the pandemic"
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

More than 100 children in Bedford were living in temporary accommodation during the first UK lockdown, figures show.

Following the Government's announcement of a new £15million package to support rough sleepers during the current lockdown, homeless charities have said they are frustrated at the piecemeal approach to funding.

Centrepoint, a charity supporting homeless young people, wants to see ring-fenced resources for under-25s, who they say have been hit the hardest by the pandemic.

Between April and June, 237 Bedford households who were homeless or at risk of homelessness were placed in temporary accommodationBetween April and June, 237 Bedford households who were homeless or at risk of homelessness were placed in temporary accommodation
Between April and June, 237 Bedford households who were homeless or at risk of homelessness were placed in temporary accommodation

Between April and June, 237 Bedford households who were homeless or at risk of homelessness were placed in temporary accommodation – including 60 with children.

This meant 130 Bedford children were living in accommodation ranging from private housing to B&Bs.

Figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government show that 3.33 households per 1,000 in Bedford were in temporary accommodation between April and June.

The rate across the East of England was below the average for England, with 2.52 families per 1,000 – England's average was 3.39.

Across the region there were 6,550 households in temporary accommodation in the period, including 3,690 with children.

Paul Noblet, Centrepoint's head of public affairs, said: "To keep rough sleepers safe this winter we need to see a level of focus and funding from the government which matches their initial response to the pandemic earlier this year.

"If we're to keep people safe this winter, we urgently need ministers to replicate the effective support that was rapidly put in place at the beginning of the pandemic."

Polly Neate, chief executive of homeless charity Shelter, said she hoped the Government's cash would stop people sleeping on the streets this winter.

She added: "It’s critical that access to safe accommodation is not a lottery in this pandemic, it must be there for everyone who needs it.”

Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said: "The way we have protected rough sleepers from Covid-19 is widely considered to be the best in the world.

"At the start of the pandemic we launched Everyone In, which protected thousands of vulnerable people.

"That work hasn’t stopped and we’ve backed it with £700million.

"As the new national measures come into force, I am launching the Protect Programme to ensure councils are offering everyone sleeping rough on our streets today somewhere safe to go."