§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many people are estimated to be homeless in the UK; and what proportion are aged(a) over 50 and (b) under 18. [26629]
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§ Ms KeebleThe Department collects information about action by local authorities in England under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts. In the third quarter of 2001, 30,910 households were accepted by local authorities as being eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in a priority need category. The latest Statutory Homelessness Statistical Release, issued on 11 December 2001, presents these and other related figures up to the end of September 2001, and copies are available in the Library.
An analysis by the age of the household head is not collected and so precise information about the proportion aged over 50 or under 18 is not available centrally. However, the priority need categories include those where one or more household members are considered vulnerable due to old age, typically, of pensionable age or youth, typically, a non-dependant aged 16–18. Estimates of cases where authorities regarded one of these categories to be the most crucial in determining priority need are given in the table.
Homeless households accepted by local authorities in England by priority need category—July to September 2001 Number As percentage of all acceptances Household member vulnerable due to: Old age 1,110 3.6 Young person 1,500 3.8 Note:
Households containing vulnerable member(s) but accepted under another priority need category (such as with dependent children or with a pregnant woman) cannot be separately identified and are not included in these figures.
Source:
DTLR Statutory Homelessness: England Third Quarter 2001 Statistical Release
For information about other parts of the United Kingdom, I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland.