The number of homeless Watford children in temporary accommodation has more than doubled amid a spike in the figure county-wide. 

Mika Saha, director of services at Herts Young Homeless, said the 17.4 per cent rise in a year is “deeply concerning” and the number of referrals the charity receives is “continuing to rise”.

Government figures show that at the end of March this year, 1,761 children in Hertfordshire were staying in temporary accommodation, including 39 in bed & breakfasts and 98 in hostels (including refuges and reception centres).

In comparison, 1,500 children were staying in temporary accommodation at the end of March last year.

The most significant increase was in Watford, where the number more than doubled from 133 to 268.

Other council areas with a significant increase included St Albans (38.1 per cent increase, from 147 to 208), Dacorum (19.4 per cent, from 253 to 302), Three Rivers (18.5 per cent, from 81 to 96) and North Herts (17.8 per cent, from 118 to 139).

In contrast, the number of homeless children in temporary accommodation fell in two of Hertfordshire’s council areas – East Herts saw a 27.8 per cent fall from 36 to 26, and Broxbourne an 18.2 per cent fall from 241 to 197.

Across England, the number of children in temporary accommodation at the end of March was 151,630 – a 15 per cent increase in the previous year. A total of 117,450 homeless households are now living in temporary accommodation across England, with 1,306 of those in Hertfordshire.

Mr Saha said that Herts Young Homeless “recognise that the voice of young people is sometimes unheard by councils”. The charity is planning to launch a new live chat service to give housing advice for young adults.

Peter Taylor, Liberal Democrat Mayor of Watford, said: “The national housing crisis means that many people struggle to afford a home. We are doing our best to support families in very difficult circumstances but there is no easy solution.

“Nationally, the government should be doing more to make sure that everyone can afford a decent home.

“Locally, we have made it a priority to deliver family-sized homes that local people can afford.”

Mr Taylor said more than 350 affordable homes have been built in Watford since 2021/22, and that the council funds a Citizens Advice Housing Worker “to help prevent homelessness”.

“I know how important it is for children to have the security of a decent, permanent home and will continue to do everything I can to reduce the number of people living in temporary accommodation,” Mr Taylor added.

Housing secretary Angela Rayner said the record levels” of homelessness across the country are a “national scandal”.

“Urgent action must be taken to fix this.

“That’s why we are working across Government and with local leaders to develop a long-term strategy to end homelessness for good.”

She said the government is already working on plans including “delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable homebuilding in a generation, abolishing Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions and a multimillion-pound package to provide homes for families most at risk of homelessness”.