Homelessness soars by 14 PER CENT in the past five years – with more than 116,000 people sleeping on the streets tonight across Australia

More than 116,000 people in Australia are homeless according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), rising 14 per cent in five years

By Emily Pidgeon For Daily Mail Australia

14 March 2018

Number of the country’s most vulnerable people continues to rapidly increase

New data shows homelessness across Australia increased 14 per cent since 2011

Experts said the situation is ‘getting worse’ with NSW having biggest increase

Staggering figures come nine months after ‘Tent City’ in Sydney CBD moved on

Hundreds of thousands of people are sleeping rough on Australian streets tonight as homelessness across the country soars. 

More than 116,000 people in Australia are homeless according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), rising 14 per cent in five years. 

The national crisis is ‘getting worse’ as a ‘significant’ number of women over 65 had become homeless due to issues surrounding domestic violence and insufficient finances. 

Hundreds of thousands of people are sleeping rough on Australian streets tonight as homelessness across the country soars (stock image)

Homeless people include those sleeping in their cars, on the streets as well as at crisis shelters or couch surfing

As the country’s most vulnerable flee undesirable situations, homeless shelters are continually facing overcrowding.

Paul Jelfs from ABS told ABC News despite ‘significant overcrowding’, the number of people staying at the crowded shelters had one of the biggest increases to 51,000.

‘We’re seeing severe overcrowding in homes where we would need to see an extra four bedrooms in a house to accommodate everyone properly,’ he said. 

Homeless people include those sleeping in their cars, on the streets as well as at crisis shelters or couch surfing.

While homelessness increased in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland it slightly decreased in the Northern Territory. 

The ABS showed NSW had the biggest increase in homelessness between 2011 and 2016, soaring to almost 38,000.

The ABS showed NSW had the biggest increase in homelessness between 2011 and 2016, soaring to almost 38,000 (Sydney’s ‘Tent City’ pictured in June last year)

The staggering figures come after the Sydney mayor was faced with clearing out ‘Tent City’ (pictured) which flooded Martin Place mid last year

In the City of Sydney alone, the figure rose by almost 70 per cent.

The staggering figures come after the Sydney mayor was faced with clearing out ‘Tent City’ which flooded Martin Place mid last year.

Led by self proclaimed ‘Mayor of Martin Place’, Lanz Priestley, the controversial site filled the city centre with makeshift homes – a camp for homeless people. 

However the camp site was short lived after Mayor Clover Moore moved them out of the CBD and into temporary housing.

A City of Sydney spokesperson revealed $27 million was spent in housing schemes for the homeless last year.

A City of Sydney spokesperson revealed $27 million was spent on housing schemes for the homeless last year

Source:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5499073/Homelessness-Australia-14-cent-census-data-shows.html

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