A homeless pregnant mom faces uncertainty. Moving Often. Social housing shortages are a major issue.
Before finding a hostel, she stayed with family. She moved hostels twice after that first stay. One hostel was okay, the other was not so good.
Now, she lives in a bedsit with her baby. It is next door to a nightclub.
Shelter says many kids will be homeless. They think almost 8,000 this last Christmas. Social housing shortages are a big reason why. Councils spend lots on temporary housing; it costs Greater Manchester £75 million yearly.
Seventy-four children died between 2019 and 2024. Temporary housing directly caused their deaths. Chloe is on a big waiting list and wants social housing. Chloe has bid on over 50 homes but has had no luck yet.
Private rent seems impossible for her. She is a mom with a new baby, relying on Universal Credit and a part-time job. Her first hostel was not ideal as it housed many different types of people. Some residents from the hostel were risky.
The shared bathrooms were mouldy, and the kitchen only had two microwaves. Rules existed but were not helpful at all. Chloe felt unsafe in that first place. The second hostel felt safer to Chloe and was much better for her needs.
She gave birth to Evie while living there. Later, she moved to an Oldham hotel, and she struggled to care for her. The hotel felt dangerous, and she worried someone would hurt her child. Now, she is in a bedsit.
The government says temporary housing is bad, especially for families with young children. Evictions and housing shortages exist, and councils struggle with housing everyone. They try to keep people safe.
One council member sympathizes with Chloe, wanting residents to feel safe. She says they do their best with limited housing; the council is trying to build new homes. They plan to build five hundred new social homes.
Dr. Laura Neilson runs a charity that helps homeless families. She thinks housing investment helps many things, impacting health and mental well-being.
Routine changes hurt kids and pregnant women. Poor sleeping setups, cooking issues, and damp housing are also problematic. Some children die in these places and The Shared Health Foundation studied child deaths.
Seventy-four kids died from 2019 to 2024; temporary housing directly contributed to their deaths. Exact child death numbers are not known locally. A baby named Irah died in temporary housing once.
The coroner did not find a direct cause of death. But, Irah’s parents worried about the flat. There was mould and sewage. The mom feared losing Irah if she refused it.
Campaigners want better temporary housing rules. The government is looking into this problem and a law meant to improve homes may help. A group wants to help homeless families and wants kids to access the support they need.
Temporary housing use rose 71% recently. Social housing demand is much higher than the supply. Living in temporary housing affects health and well-being. Councils spend a lot of money on temporary housing.
Local leaders aim to build more homes. Also, they plan to provide more landlord support. A government fund will help homeless groups. A housing secretary says the deaths are heartbreaking and she wants to support homeless families.