Homelessness worse in Britain than 40 years ago: charity report

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2006

LONDON (AFP) — Britain's homelessness problem has become more serious in the last 40 years because of massive cuts in social house-building and steep hikes in house prices, a major housing charity says.

Shelter said in its 40th anniversary report that more than one million children are currently living in sub-standard housing.

Shelter was created in 1966 in the wake of the public reaction to "Cathy Come Home", a hard-hitting docu-drama by film director Ken Loach about a young woman's descent into homelessness.

"The number of homeless households in temporary accommodation has soared from 6,400 to more than 100,000 since 1976, while the building of social homes has falled by 87 percent over the same period," said director Adam Sampson.

The report also...