Homelessness
Households accepted as unintentionally homeless, 1980-2007
This graph shows the number of households that were accepted as unintentionally homeless between 1980 and 2007 in each country of the UK.
England and Wales have similar trends, with rising numbers during the recession in the early 1990s, decreases in the mid-1990s and then increases in the early 2000s, reflecting the fact that the buoyant housing market of the early 2000s squeezed many low-income households out of the market.
Since the peak of 2003 there has been a dramatic drop in the number of households accepted as homeless in England and Wales, which may be linked to the homelessness prevention agenda in these two countries.
Scotland and Northern Ireland saw a steady rise in the number of households accepted as homeless from the mid-1990s, although the number has dropped slightly since 2006.
Source: UK Housing Review, 2008: 196 and Northern Ireland Homelessness Statistics
Households in temporary accommodation, 1991-2007
This graph shows the number of households from 1991 to 2007 that were accepted as homeless and housed in temporary accommodation by local authorities while they waited to be re-housed. The graph includes England, Scotland and Wales.
The change in the number of homeless households in temporary accommodation follows a similar pattern to the number of statutory acceptances of homelessness.
From 2004 to 2007 the number of households in temporary accommodation in England has fallen by 21%, while Wales saw a 25% decrease from 2005 to 2007.
By contrast, in Scotland the number of households in temporary accommodation has doubled, from around 4,000 cases in 2000 and 2001 to 8,577 in 2007. This is partly related to its differing legislation and the fact that the statutory safety net in Scotland is more extensive and more generous.
Source: UK Housing Review, 2008: 197-198