MORE than half of Blackburn and Darwen people living in temporary accommodation are children, a report has shown.

A new report published by homeless charity Shelter reveals that in Blackburn with Darwen, 46 people are in temporary accommodation and 26 of them are children without a permanent roof over their head.

One in every 3,254 people in the borough is living in temporary accommodation with 12 families without a permanent address In Burnley, the rate is higher with one in 2,541 people in temporary accommodation where eight of the 35 people in temporary accommodation are children.

The report shows that in total, 10,760 people in the North West are homeless and living in temporary accommodation during the pandemic.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “Almost 11,000 people are homeless and stuck in temporary accommodation in the North West. This should shame us all. With this deadly virus on the loose, 2020 has taught us the value of a safe home like never before. But too many are going without, because of the chronic lack of social homes.

“Many people will spend Christmas in grim, dangerous places, cut off from loved ones and faced with a daily struggle to eat or keep clean.

“As the country continues to reel from the financial shockwaves caused by the pandemic, our services will do all they can to support those battling homelessness."

Temporary accommodation provided by councils can range from a self-contained flat to an emergency B&B room with shared facilities. Across the North West, 1,840 households (37%) are placed into emergency bed and breakfasts and hostels, where poor conditions and overcrowding are rife.