As many as 42 per cent of Oxonians are worried they could become homeless within the next year, according to new research by Beam, a social impact start-up supporting homeless people and refugees into jobs and housing. 

The research uncovers the devastating impact of the cost-of-living crisis, with a third of Oxonians struggling to meet the cost of living and cover basic housing, energy, food and transport costs. 

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Half say their housing costs in Oxford have increased by as much as 18 per cent in the past six months, with a third worrying that they will continue to increase over the next six months.

15 percent of Oxonians admit they could no longer afford their mortgage if the interest rate increased by four per cent or more, with a further third confessing that while they could just about afford it, it would be a huge struggle to get by. 

Four in ten Oxonians admit they are concerned their wages won’t be able to cover their housing costs soon, while 31 per cent are being forced to choose between heating their home or paying their rent.

A third are having to cut back on food and heating to cover their housing costs. 

Of the 2,000 Brits polled, homeowners and renters based in London are the most worried about losing their home, followed by Oxford, Glasgow, Birmingham and Manchester.

Across the UK, a shocking one in four Brits polled confess they would be genuinely worried about being out on the streets if they lost their home, with a fifth concerned about potentially being put in temporary housing. 

Spending less on Christmas presents, cutting back on TV subscriptions and stopping going to the pub for drinks are also ways in which Britons are tackling rising costs.

Over half of Brits surveyed believe the cost of living crisis and recession will make many more people homeless in the UK, with 44 per cent admitting the country is in the midst of a housing crisis. 

Alex Stephany, Founder and CEO of Beam, who commissioned the research, said: “Homelessness is one of the toughest social problems of our time, so it’s worrying that four in 10 Oxonians fear becoming homeless in 2023. 

“It’s clear we need to move away from sticking plaster solutions and redesign the welfare state for the 21st century if we want to solve these challenges at scale and affordably. 

“One way we’ve been doing this at Beam is by bringing together government, companies, landlords and civic society to support over 1,200 homeless people into stable jobs and housing for the long-term.

“We’re also building technology that supports underserved groups, so they’re equipped with the skills, tools and confidence to overcome the barriers in their life.”

 

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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1