- The number of homeless people has increased by 10% in London this year as many people are being pushed away from the private rented sector.
- Issues of unaffordability in the UK, especially in London where the average rent for a double-bedroom would now cost you over £695 pm are reducing the chances to secure accommodation.
- Shocking: the government has recently slashed housing benefits by £7BN in the UK.
- CEO sleepout, a ground breaking event invites UK CEOs to give up their bed for one night and help those who don’t have one.
Monday 12th of October 2015. As many of us are aware, there are two common British conversations: the weather and the housing crisis. It is undeniable that there is a big problem of affordability in London with the average property costing almost £500,000, an annual growth of 6.6%. The concern of climbing property prices is echoed in the rental market. In fact, renting a double bedroom in London would cost you on average £695 pm, a 7.7% annual increase from 2014, according to EasyRoommate. Add to the bill living cost, transport expenses and renting in London will burn a hole in your pocket. Furthermore, supply is scarce: as of 2015 (Q3) there were 10 seekers for each room available, a significant increase from 2012 where 6 seekers were competing for each room. Taking these factors into account, many people are not only pushed out from the property market but also the private rental sector, and unfortunately become homeless.
The number of people who are homeless has increased by 10% in London this year according to government figures. Alongside the rising figures in the capital, 5% extra households in the UK were regarded as homeless this year in comparison to 2014. Shockingly, 112,330 made a homeless application in England last year, according to Crisis.org.uk, a 26% leap since 2009/2010. To make matters worse, the end of tenancy has been the most common cause of homelessness. And this is when the problems start for low-income families as they can quickly get trapped in a vicious cycle. The waiting list for social housing is enormous and on top of that the government has recently slashed housing benefits by £7BN in the UK.
Founded in 2013, CEOSleepout was set up to fight homelessness and poverty. As the name entails, CEOs from around the UK will sleep outdoors for one night at the Oval cricket ground in London to raise sponsorship from their business contacts, colleagues and friends. ‘’While giving up one night of comfort does not compare to the hard reality for those who experience homelessness on a nightly basis, it is an act of solidarity to show we care.’’ said EasyRoommate’s CEO, Albin Serviant who is commited to this cause and will be attending this event, organised with the help of Depaul, held on Monday the 12th of October.
Depaul’s CEO Martin Houghton-Brown is overwhelmed by the support for this event and has commented saying: “I am so grateful to all the CEOs who are braving the autumnal chill and sleeping outside for charity tonight. For many of the young people we work with, a difficult night’s sleep is just part of the desperate situation they find themselves in. With the money raised from CEO Sleepout we can find more homeless young people a home, help rebuild more family relationships, and transform more young lives. What a great result from sleeping on a cricket pitch!”
