Shelter claims that 200,000 children living in privately rented homes are at risk of being evicted this winter – equivalent to one in every 50 children in England.
A study for the campaigning charity claims that 104,000 private renting families had received an eviction notice in the last month or are currently behind on their rent – and the charity says that is “putting them in real danger of losing their home.”
In response Shelter is calling on the public to support its frontline advisers who are working seven days a week to help as many families as possible to find, or keep hold of, a safe home.   
From the same polling, Shelter estimates that 55,000 children and their families have already been evicted or removed from their homes in the last three months.
The fear of becoming homeless is looming large over family life, Shelter says, with seven in 10 private renting families saying they would struggle to find another home this winter if they lost theirs, and one in 10 parents apparently saying their children worry about becoming homeless.
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, says: “No child should have to worry about losing their home this Christmas, let alone 200,000. But so many families will spend every day with the threat of eviction looming over them, not knowing if they will still have a home next year.
“Eviction notices have started dropping on doormats and our services are working round the clock to help families who have nowhere else to go. Like it has before – the government needs to intervene to keep people safe in their homes. We urgently need more support for renters to protect them from eviction this winter.”
