Topic briefing: Children experiencing homelessness: 2019 update

Key points:

In 2018/19, 14,043 children were in households assessed as homeless, which is equivalent to 38 children becoming homeless every day.

On 31st March 2019, 6,795 children were living in temporary accommodation. This is the fifth consecutive year that this figure has increased.

Households with children spend longer, on average, in temporary accommodation than those without children (219 days to 166 days).

Homelessness can have particularly devastating effects on children, leaving them unable to realise their potential to live healthy, happy lives. These consequences have been shown to worsen the longer a child is homeless.