Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Almost 230,000 UK renters at risk of homelessness when eviction ban lifts

Hundreds of thousands across the UK could lose their homes next month when the coronavirus eviction ban ends, a charity has warned.
An estimated 227,000 of adults have fallen into rent arrears since the start of the pandemic, meaning they at risk of becoming homeless when the suspension on evictions ends on August 23, reveal figures released by Shelter.

The ban was introduced by ministers in March in a bid to protect renters who could not pay their bills after losing jobs or being put on the furlough scheme. But last week, housing minister Lord Greenhalgh confirmed the suspension would not be extended beyond next month, calling it an ‘important step towards ending lockdown’.

The housing charity has warned that unless the government urgently acts to protect renters struggling to pay rent amid the pandemic, judges will be powerless to stop them from losing their homes once the ban lifts. Chief executive Polly Neate insisted that the housing minister can ‘still avert this disaster’.

Under the current court system, anyone who accrues rent arrears of eight weeks or more can be automatically evicted. They also face being subjected to a Section 21 ‘no fault’ eviction, which allows landlords to repossess the property at short notice and without reason after their fixed-term tenancy ends.

Mum-of-three Jeanny, 48, who lives in Bournemouth, was furloughed from her retail job at the start of the Covid-19 outbreak meaning she had to take a pay cut.

But when she asked her landlord for some flexibility on rent payments, Jeanny was completely ‘shocked’ when she was told that she and her children would have to leave their family home of four years by October 4. She said she has paid her rent in full and on time every month before the pandemic.

Jeanny, said: ‘I thought my landlord would at least say “let’s talk” about the rent before threatening me with eviction when I told her I couldn’t quite pay my full rent after my pay was cut.’

The mother said she is trying her best to cut outgoings and has been buying cheaper food but said the situation is ‘incredibly stressful’.

‘Being under all this pressure is having a massive impact on everyone in the family. It affects my sleep, it’s on my mind all the time,’ she added.

‘I talk about it with my older children, and we try and work out where we can get the money from to top up the rent… I don’t want it to come to an eviction through the courts. I don’t want my children to go through that.’

A YouGov poll carried out for Shelter found 174,000 private tenants have already been threatened with eviction by their landlord or letting agent.

Meanwhile, the total number number of private renters in arrears reached 442,000 adults – double what it was in the same period last year.

The charity also revealed nearly a third of renters – 2.7 million adults – feel more depressed and anxious about their housing situation, with the same amount suffering sleepless nights.

Shelter said the figures demonstrate ‘the terrifying impact of the pandemic on private renter’s finances’ which ‘is only likely to get worse’ as many could lose their jobs as the furlough scheme comes to an end.

CEO Ms Neate said: ‘The Housing Secretary promised no-one would lose their home because of coronavirus… Unless he acts now, he will break his promise, and put thousands of renters at risk of homelessness.’

‘[The Housing Secretary] can prevent these ‘Covid-evictions’ as the pandemic continues and keep families safe in their homes. All he and the government need to do – in the 10 sitting days before Parliament breaks for the summer – is make some small changes to the law.

‘These changes would give judges the power to ensure that no renter is automatically evicted, and the impact of coronavirus is always considered.’
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×