Calls for homeless aid in UK at all-time high: Charity

The number of Britons demanding aid for the homeless has hit an all-time high, a housing charity warns.

The Shelter charity said it received almost 175,000 calls for help from people facing homelessness last year, equivalent to more than 470 inquires per day, the Independent reported on Wednesday.

There was a 10-percent rise in the number of demands for help when the figures were compared with data from the previous year.

Shelter also said the number of visits to its advice website pages has increased over 20 percent, with nearly 400,000 people seeking help online.

Meanwhile, the charity noted that it is expecting to see an “alarming” rise in the number of Britons seeking help for homelessness this Christmas.

“Tragically, with more people struggling to make ends meet and homelessness on the rise, we’re bracing ourselves for an increase in demand from families who desperately need our help,” said Shelter Chief Executive Campbell Robb.

Earlier this month, the charity warned that more than 80,000 children in Britain will spend their Christmas living in temporary accommodations such as those provided by Bed and Breakfast (B&B) Accommodation.

The warning came after figures released by the Department for Communities and Local Government revealed that the number of families living in emergency accommodations is at a 10-year high.