More than 100 children in Wiltshire homeless as poverty rises

As pupils across the country return to school for the new academic year, for many school is a safe haven from their living situations.

Data from the Department for Work and Pensions shows that child poverty has been on the rise with a record number of children across the UK living in households earning less than 60 per cent of the median income in 2023.

This is particularly the case in Wiltshire, where 12,337 children - equivalent to 13.5 per cent of under-18s in the area – live in low-income households.

This is the highest figure since records began in 2014-15.

"Families deserve better than constant anxiety about making ends meet," said Priya Edwards, police and advocacy advisor at Save the Children UK.

 "A childhood blighted by poverty and poor mental health leads to dreadful outcomes for young people that sadly impacts them for the rest of their lives."

Childhood poverty can have long term impacts on children (Image: Getty)

Separate figures from the Ministry of House, Communities and Local Government show that 125 children in Wiltshire are currently homeless.

Homelessness is defined as lacking a secure place to live, and can include squatting, living between hotels and B&Bs or sofa surfing as well as rough sleeping.

The number of children housed in temporary accommodation has reached the highest figure since records began in 2004.

85 households with children in Wiltshire were also assessed as needing a prevention duty (issued if a household has been threatened with homelessness) in the three months to March, with a further 63 assessed as needing a relief duty.

The homelessness crisis has been described by the Labour Party as a "national scandal".

125 children in Wiltshire are homeless (Image: Getty)

"This Government inherited a housing crisis which has left families stuck living in temporary accommodation, and we know this is having a knock-on effect of increasing pressure on council finances," said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

"We have laid out clear plans in the short and long-term about how we will deliver our target of 1.5 million homes.

"We will prevent homelessness before it occurs by banning Section 21 evictions, and deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.

"We will also give councils more stability through multi-year funding settlements."

But Big Issue founder and crossbench peer Lord Bird, who has spoken out about his experience of growing up in poverty, described the latest figures as "appalling".

"Another winter looms and there’s little being done to turn this terrible tide," he warned.

Cllr Phil Alford, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “Wiltshire Council has worked hard to reduce the number of families and children in temporary accommodation, and this has resulted in a reduction of 25% over the last year. In April 2023 there were 182 households in Wiltshire in temporary accommodation, which has fallen to 136 in August 2024.

“There are currently 170 children in temporary accommodation but none of these are in bed and breakfast or hotel-type accommodation.

“The work that we deliver through the Household Support Fund (HSF) is focused on supporting low income households and in particular families with children. A number of the schemes we have supported through the fund either support children directly or the wider household. "

The schemes include:

• Free school meals for all school children during holidays
• Free school meals across holidays for early year settings (children under 5’s),  
• Children Centres (for families with children under 2 years old)
• Children in care and young people
• GRTB Fuel and food vouchers
• Supporting food banks and Community Food Providers across the county