MP calls on Council to undertake homeless count to get to grips with growing problem

Simon Danczuk MP welcomed Retail Ready People to Rochdale

Rochdale’s MP has called on the Council to undertake a rigorous ‘count’ to establish how many people are sleeping rough in Rochdale following concerns of a big rise in homelessness in the town.

Simon Danczuk recently met with the homeless charity, Crisis, and said he was worried that there had been a big rise in homelessness in recent years.

Figures shown to him by Crisis revealed that in Rochdale during the last year 717 households approached the local authority as homeless – an increase of 150% over three years. Some 280 households were accepted as being in priority need – an increase of 268% over three years. A further 230 households were found to be homeless but not in priority need – an increase of 210% over three years.

Mr Danczuk said the figures were unacceptable and, with high numbers of house repossessions across the North West, he was worried that more people were at risk of becoming homeless.

“It is vital that the problem of homelessness in this country does not continue to be swept under the carpet,” he said. “I have noticed a visible increase in roughsleeping in the last few years, and these figures confirm this. We need a better recording of homeless figures to be on top of this problem. But I don’t think there’s enough support for people who find themselves in this situation and with winter now upon us the Government must act. They can’t continue to ignore this.”

All local authorities are now obliged to submit an annual homeless figure based on a count or an estimate.