More Than 150 Made Homeless On Isle Of Wight Since Pandemic Started

New figures show more than 150 households have been made homeless since the start of the coronavirus pandemic - and the Isle of Wight Council is warning that the figure is likely to rise.

Data obtained by the Guardian shows that between the start of April and the end of November last year, 996 households on the Isle of Wight approached the local authority concerned about homelessness.

Of these, 159 were “owed the prevention duty” - meaning they were judged to be threatened with homelessness. 

A Freedom Of Information Request (FOI) revealed 187 Islanders were also “owed the relief duty” - meaning they were already classed as homeless or rough sleeping.

The Isle of Wight Council says it is expecting these figures to “increase” in the coming months. Although, it says, there has been a 56% reduction in the number of families needing emergency accommodation. 

The man in charge of housing rough sleepers on the Island, Jamie Brenchley, says this is “most likely because of the eviction freeze”.

In March last year, the Government introduced a complete ban on evictions and added additional protection for renters.

Mr Brenchley told Isle of Wight Radio that he expects the council will have to “intervene” for these families in the future:

“We have continued to see families present to us, primarily due to relationship breakdowns or fleeing domestic violence, which I think has been exasperated during the pandemic which was already an emerging trend we were monitoring…

“The numbers in terms of approaches have maintained levels that were prevalent in 2019, that hasn’t changed. What has changed is the number of families we have needed to apply emergency accommodation to - has reduced by 56%"

In response to the pandemic, on 26 March last year, the Government launched its ‘Everyone In’ scheme - which gave local authorities just 48 hours to house all rough sleepers.

The Isle of Wight saw a 900% increase in ordinary numbers, with more than 100 individuals coming forward in that time, as previously reported by Isle of Wight Radio.

Figures show 10 people on the Isle of Wight are in temporary accommodation, but Mr Brenchley says an additional 36 (primarily single people households) are being supported by the council, which is using “discretionary powers” to accommodate them.

Mr Brenchley added:

“The Council will continue to, where practical, provide people with a safe place from which they can protect themselves from the virus and reduce the risk of contamination and spread within the community, for those who do not have a place they can call home”.

The FOI figures are based on data from 231 councils, supplemented with published government data covering April to June for 78 councils that did not respond.

Last September, the Isle of Wight Council was given half a million pounds to house rough sleepers on the Island, as previously reported.  

The Government has also given the Isle of Wight a £764,486 Homelessness Prevention Grant from 2021 to 2022 to support those sleeping rough.

In March last year, the housing secretary, Robert Jenrick, tweeted, “no one should lose their home as a result of the coronavirus epidemic”.

Thank you @Shelter - no one should lose their home as a result of the #coronavirus epidemic. https://t.co/XZsWu1HV40

— Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) March 26, 2020

If you’re worried about homelessness you can contact the Isle of Wight Council on 01983 821000