THE MP for Barnsley East has challenged the government on homelessness statistics after it showed there was more than 120 homeless people in Barnsley.
Stephanie Peacock questioned the government in the House of Commons and pushed for greater funds for local authorities like Barnsley Council to tackle rising homelessness.
According to the housing charity Shelter there are around 320,000 people recorded as homeless in Britain which is a rise of 13,000 on the previous year.
Recent figures show that deaths of homeless people have increased by nearly a quarter over the last five years, as more than 600 homeless people died in England and Wales last year.
The figures follow the news of a homeless person dying just feet away from the entrance to Parliament in Westminster tube station, the second person to do so this year.
Questioning the government minister who oversees housing in the House of Commons, Stephanie said society where a man can die on the steps of Parliament because he does not have a roof over his head is not one that should be acceptable.
“The rise of homelessness over recent years is a national scandal and shames us all,” she said.
“In a country as rich as ours homelessness is not inevitable and nobody should be forced to live rough without a roof over their head, yet since 2010 the numbers of people doing so has more than doubled because of decisions made by this disastrous Tory government.
“We should urgently set about addressing the root cause of homelessness, and instead of further cuts this government should make funds available for local councils to properly help those in need.”
