What’s behind the record homelessness figures?

Housing charity Shelter’s latest figures show that homelessness has risen rapidly in the last year. In England, 279,400 people are living in temporary accommodation - an increase of 14% - most of whom are families.

And the government’s own figures reveal that almost half (47%) of families who are homeless in temporary accommodation have been there for more than two years.

Councils have a legal duty to house families and people who are vulnerable if they lose their homes, but the acute shortage of affordable homes means they are having to rely on temporary accommodation for long periods.

So what can be done to fix the growing numbers who find themselves homeless? David Aaronovitch is joined by the following expert guests:

Christine Whitehead, Housing Economist, London School of Economics

Rachelle Earwaker, Senior Economist, Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Matthew Wilkins, Head of Value for Money, Centre for Homelessness Impact Production team: Kirsteen Knight, Alex Lewis and Sophie Eastaugh

Production Co-ordinators: Jacqui Johnson and Sophie Hill

Sound: Rod Farquhar

Editor: Richard Vadon