MORE than 150 Colchester households were assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness last winter, figures reveal.

Colchester Council said it is expecting to see a rise in households needing its help as lockdown eases.

The figures: 

  • Between October and December last year, 96 families or individuals in Colchester were identified as homeless by the council, up from 85 the year before, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government figures show.
  • A further 66 households were eligible for council help as they were at risk of homelessness in winter 2020 although this was down from 132 in 2019.
  • There were also 203 households in temporary accommodation in Colchester on December 31 - 36 more than the year before and including 285 children.
  • At the same time, there were at least 11 individuals or families as sleeping rough in the area.

Pandemic measures including the Everyone In scheme - which saw authorities work to provide emergency accommodation to as many people in need as possible - a restriction on evictions and lengthened notice periods for landlords contributed to significant changes to England’s statutory homelessness levels.

A Colchester Council spokesman said the council was told it would receive continued funding for this year and next to combat homelessness.

He added: “It means we will be able to do even more to address the numbers of people coming to us for help because they are homeless or are at risk of losing their homes.”

The spokesman said as lockdown eases, the council is expecting to see a rise in households requiring help as eviction proceedings restart.

“We are committed to supporting people at risk of becoming homeless as well as those vulnerable people who find themselves sleeping on the streets,” he said.

“With almost 3,000 people still on the housing register we know there is much more to do, but wherever possible, we will continue to intervene with support, which at a time of crisis can prevent homelessness.”

Tendring's statistics:

  • In the Tendring district, more than 150 households were assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness.
  • Last winter 101 families or people in Tendring were identified as homeless - up from 97 the previous year.
  • A further 53 households were eligible for council help as they were at risk of homelessness in winter 2020 - down from 65 in 2019.
  • There were 141 households in temporary accommodation in the district at the end of last year - 16 more than the year before and including 185 children.