MORE households with children were threatened with homelessness in Cheshire East and West last year, new figures show.

Homeless charity Crisis said the rise in families being forced from their homes across England is ‘deeply worrying’.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) figures show 345 households with children were owed a prevention duty in Cheshire East in 2021-22 – up from 270 the year before.

This means the household has been threatened with homelessness and is eligible for council support.

A further 63 households were owed a relief duty in the year to March, meaning they are already homeless and Cheshire East Council must take reasonable steps to help the applicant to secure accommodation for at least six months.

In Cheshire West and Chester, figures show 273 households with children were owed a prevention duty in 2021-22 – up from 247 the year before.

A further 173 households were owed a relief duty in the year to March.

The Government pledged in its 2019 manifesto to end homelessness by 2024.

Overall nationally, the number of households owed a prevention duty rose from 119,400 in 2020-21 to 133,450 in 2020-21, while the number of relief duties fell from 149,160 to 144,670.

Kiran Ramchandani, director of policy and external affairs at Crisis, said: "The intense cost of living pressures and a severe lack of affordable housing mean many households with children will be forced into temporary accommodation and we know how damaging a long-term stay can be, especially for children and young people."

Ms Ramchandani also highlighted that it is vital for those fleeing domestic abuse cases to have a safe place to call home.

In Cheshire East, 25 domestic abuse cases led to prevention duties, while 16 relief duties were owed.

In Cheshire West, 35 domestic abuse cases led to prevention duties, while 69 relief duties were owed.

A DLUHC spokesperson said it is giving councils £316 million to ‘ensure families are not left without a roof over their heads’.

"More than half a million households have been prevented from becoming homeless or supported into settled accommodation since 2018 through the Homelessness Reduction Act," they added.