CALLS for “Government to act” as homelessness has increased in Bracknell Forest by more than double, new figures show.

Homelessness charity Shelter said the time for “empty words” on housebuilding was long passed and called on the Government to act.

According to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Bracknell Forest witnessed an increase in homelessness, with 49 households estimated to be homeless and entitled to relief duty.

This number rose by more than double from the previous year's count of 22 households.

Across England, the homelessness figures hit an all-time high, with 79,840 households having faced homelessness in the first quarter of the year.

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Of those, 6,440 were because of a Section 21 "no-fault" eviction, which allows landlords to evict a tenant with just two months’ notice, without having to give a reason.

In May, the Government published its Renters (Reform) Bill to ban no-fault evictions and introduce greater protections for renters. However, the bill has failed to make any progress through Parliament since.

Campaign manager of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, Tom Darling, said the Government's delay is "inexplicable".

Shelter has estimated 172 families are served with an eviction notice every day while the bill is delayed.

As well as 49 households in Bracknell estimated to be homeless, there were also 107 households threatened with homelessness and owed a prevention duty, eight of whom faced losing their home after receiving a Section 21 notice to end an Assured Shorthold Tenancy.

There were 34 single parents and 15 couples with dependent children homeless in Bracknell Forest between January and March.

Chief executive of Shelter, Polly Neate, said: “With record numbers of people becoming homeless, the time for empty words on building social homes and overdue promises on ending no fault evictions has long passed.

“No-fault evictions are fuelling homelessness and throwing thousands of families’ lives into turmoil.”

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In Bracknell Forest, one per 100,000 people were estimated to be homeless. The national average currently stands at 1.8 people.

Tom Darling, said renting in England is “in crisis”.

He said: “Rents are rising at their fastest rate since records began, a fifth of privately rented homes don’t meet a ‘decent’ standard, and no-fault evictions continue to be a leading cause of homelessness.

“Four years after promising change, and two months after first giving people hope by introducing legislation, the Government’s continued delays to the Renters (Reform) Bill are inexplicable.”

Those aged 25-34 made up the biggest group of rough sleepers, with 23,770 of them living on the streets of England.