AN 'UNACCEPTABLE' number of people identified as 'working homeless' in Oxfordshire has revealed the extent of the local housing crisis.

Data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government shows there were at least 448 households in the county entitled to help from local authorities between July and September last year.

Numbers for Oxford revealed that around a quarter of households identified as homeless were in work – 135 residents were entitled to help from the council, 75 of which were assessed as homeless and 60 at risk of becoming so.

Of these, 21 had at least one person working full-time and ten part-time – 24 per cent of all homeless households in the area whose employment status was known.

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There were also two homes where the main applicant was a student, or in training, and seven where they were seeking work.

Numbers for Vale of White Horse revealed that more than two in five households identified as homeless were in work –102 people were entitled to help from the local authority, 25 of which were assessed as homeless and 77 at risk of becoming so.

Of these, 34 had at least one person working full-time and ten part-time – 44 per cent of all homeless households in the area whose employment status was known.

There were also three homes where the main applicant was seeking work.

Numbers for South Oxfordshire revealed that dozens of households were identified as homeless despite being in work – 80 homes were entitled to help from the district council, 14 of which were assessed as homeless and 66 at risk of becoming so.

Of these, 22 had at least one person working full-time and 11 part-time.

There was also one household where the main applicant was a student, or in training, and four where they were seeking work.

Numbers for West Oxfordshire revealed there were 20 households identified as homeless despite being in work – nearly 70 homes were entitled to help from the district council, 54 of which were assessed as homeless and 13 at risk of becoming so.

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Of these, 15 had at least one person working full-time and four part-time.

There were also 11 homes where the main applicant was seeking work.

Almost two dozen households in Cherwell identified as homeless were in work – 64 homes were entitled to help from the district council, 33 of which were assessed as homeless and 31 at risk of becoming so.

Of these, 15 had at least one person working full-time and five part-time.

There was also one household where the main applicant was seeking work.

Homeless charity Crisis said it is 'unacceptable' that there are thousands of people in paid work but without a home across England during the pandemic, and called for long-term investment in social housing.

CEO Jon Sparkes said: "Thousands of people in England cannot afford a place to live, despite being in work. We must not forget that homelessness amongst workers has existed long before Covid-19 and to end it once and for all, we need long-term investment in affordable housing.”

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