Shelter claims government figures show 5,940 households were “threatened with homelessness” in England as a result of Section 21 evictions between April and June this year.

This figure has risen by 76 per cent in a year following the end of the eviction ban in May 2021.

To be classified as ‘threatened with homelessness’ by their council, Shelter says a household must be at risk of losing their home in the next eight weeks. This also means the council have a legal duty to help the household to either stay in their current home or to find somewhere new to live.  

Shelter is urging the government to bring forward its long-promised Renters’ Reform Bill which will ban S21 evictions, and to unfreeze housing benefit to help struggling renters this winter to access safe accommodation.

The charity says the government data also revealed that 25 per cent were found to be homeless or at risk of becoming homeless because of the loss of a private tenancy.

In addition the number of private renting households in rent arrears who have become homeless or threatened with homelessness is up 38 per cent in the last year. 

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, says: “This winter is going to be brutal as the cost of living crisis goes from bad to worse, and the threat of rising rents and evictions loom large.  

“Not a day goes by without our emergency helpline taking yet more calls from families who are being turfed out of their homes because of no-fault evictions. Many of these families won’t be able to find another rental – and instead may spend a bleak winter trapped in emergency accommodation with nowhere to cook or eat a meal, let alone put up a Christmas tree. 

“The government promised to ban no fault evictions, it must get on with the job and make the Renters’ Reform Bill law. And to protect people from the threat of homelessness this winter, it must unfreeze housing benefit so families can pay their rent.”