Benefit cuts and unscrupulous landlords have combined to create an explosion in temporary housing that is costing taxpayers more than a billion pounds a year.
The latest figures reveal that housing benefit does not cover rents in 95% of the country, pushing thousands of families into homelessness. The gap between welfare support and costs is more than £100 a month in much of England and in excess of £900 in central London.
Spending by councils on emergency bed and breakfast accommodation has risen by 147% in five years. The number of units has grown by only 32%, leading to claims that rates are being inflated by “wily landlords” to take advantage of spiralling demand.
