Homelessness is rising twice as fast in rural areas as in towns and cities, according to campaigners who warned that the Government\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s cuts were hitting the countryside hardest.<\/p>\n
Waiting lists for affordable homes in rural areas have reached record levels, with the number recognised by councils as homeless rising by 25 per cent in the past year, compared with 11 per cent in towns.<\/p>\n
Figures released by the National Housing Federation show that there were more than 3,000 families \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 7,600 people \u00e2\u20ac\u201c registered as homeless in 2010, up from 2,400 households over the previous 12 months.\u00c2\u00a0 Another 4,500 families were in temporary accommodation and about 400 people were sleeping rough.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
The federation said homelessness was not an urban problem and called for the building of more affordable homes.<\/p>\n
Source: Daily Telegraph 29\/01\/11<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"