The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government have released the latest quarterly statistics for statutory homelessness in England, covering the period between 1 January and 31 March 2021. This shows a relatively good picture of how Covid 19 has impacted homelessness in Milton Keynes.

Initial Assessments

Between January and March 2021, Milton Keynes Council carried out 485 homelessness assessments. Of these, 466 households were found to homeless or threatened with homelessness, and therefore owed a statutory duty. This is a reduction of 23.7% compared to the same quarter in 2020.

There were 158 households assessed as threatened with homelessness between January and March 2021., compared to 304 households during the same period in 2020. This equates to a 46% reduction, but still means 1.47 households in every 1,000 were at risk of homelessness in Milton Keynes. Meanwhile 308 households were assessed as being owed a relief duty, which was nearly the same as the 307 households supported in January to March 2020. This translates as 2.87 households in every 1,000 experiencing homelessness in Miton Keynes.

Of those owed a statutory homelessness duty, 31.3% were households with children and 68.7% were households without children. This has shifted from January to March 2020, where 39.6% were households with children and 60.4% were households without children. Of those households owed a prevention duty, 27.8 % were headed by a female single parent. Although still the largest group at risk of homelessness, this is a reduction of 9 percentage points from the first quarter of 2020. Single males made up 50.6% of those owed a relief duty and were therefore the largest group seeking support because they were already homelessness. The change from the same period in 2020 was negligible.

Just 10.5% of households stated the end of a private assured shorthold tenancy as the reason for the loss, or potential loss, of their home during the first quarter of 2021. This is down 14 percentage points than January to March 2021. In contrast, 32.8% of those initially assessed said that family or friends were no longer willing to accommodate them, which is a rise of 5.3 percentage points compared to the first quarter of 2020. Domestic abuse is also a more apparent, with 15.2% of those approaching Milton Keynes Council for housing support stating this as the reason. This is up 3.9 percentage points from January to March 2020.

Main Duty

In the first quarter of 2021, Milton Keynes Council made 154 main duty decisions. Of these, 66.2% of households were found to be unintentionally homeless and in priority need. This is significantly less than the 85.9% of households accepted as owed a main duty between January and March 2020.

Of those households owed a main duty, 25.5% had dependent children. This is drop of 12.6 percentage points, compared to the period between January and March 2020. The proportion of households with mental health problems as a priority need went down by 1.6 percentage points, to 11.8%. On the other hand, 17.6% of households owed a main duty had a physical disability or ill health, up by 6.8 percentage points compared to the first quarter of 2020.

Between January and March 2021, just 30 households saw their main duty end because they had accepted an offer of housing. Of these 29 would move into social housing. During the same period of 2020, the main duty end for 42 households. Again, the vast majority had accepted an offer of social housing.

Temporary Housing

As of 31st March 2021, there were 1,012 households living in temporary accommodation. This is a 18.9% rise compared to 31st March 2020 and means for every 1,000 households in Milton Keynes, 9.42 are living in temporary accommodation.

There is also a 9.8% increase in households with dependent children living in temporary accommodation, compared to last year. On March 31st 2021 there were 639 households and 1215 individual children living in temporary accommodation.

For the full statistical release, on Statutory Homelessness between January and March 2021, please visit the government website here.