Around three in 10 people are worried that they may end up homeless within five years due to rising housing costs, a new survey has revealed.

Some 31% of people polled for Amnesty International UK said they are worried about ending up sofa-surfing or in temporary accommodation.

The campaign group is calling for safe and affordable housing to be made a human right that is protected in law.

It likened navigating England’s housing system to undertaking a “gruelling obstacle course”, with accommodation the prize for those who “make it to the end”.

Additionally, it accused the Government of rationing access to housing due to a “severe shortfall” in suitable, affordable accommodation.

Bournemouth Echo: A survey from Amnesty International found that 3 in 10 people worried about being homeless within 5 years due to rising housing prices (PA)A survey from Amnesty International found that 3 in 10 people worried about being homeless within 5 years due to rising housing prices (PA) (Image: PA)

Legislation requires local authorities to take “reasonable steps” to try to prevent or relieve a household’s homelessness by helping them to secure accommodation for at least six months.

However, not everyone is eligible for help, for reasons including their immigration status, or being deemed to have made themselves “intentionally homeless”.

These obstacles are leaving people destitute, and risking their mental and physical health and personal safety, the organisation warned.

It said the eligibility criteria “effectively” exclude thousands of people from accessing their rights, and therefore contravene the UK’s international human rights obligations.

What were the result of the survey?

To accompany its report, the charity commissioned polling of 2,264 UK adults by Savanta ComRes between May 27 and 29.

It found that more than half (54%) of UK adults would assume a person was experiencing homelessness for a personal reason, such as relationship issues or drug dependency.

A smaller proportion (36%) thought this was most likely due to the Government’s failure to provide sufficient housing.

Bournemouth Echo: Amnesty International UK has asked for housing to be enshrined as a human right (PA)Amnesty International UK has asked for housing to be enshrined as a human right (PA) (Image: PA)

Amnesty International UK said prolonged homelessness is always a result of a systematic failure of Government to enable a person’s right to a safe home, regardless of the immediate trigger.

Chief executive Sacha Deshmukh said: “Housing is a human right, not a luxury and it needs to be protected in law.

“It’s very convenient for the Government that people often assume a person is homeless as a result of personal circumstances, but in truth homelessness is a result of a systematic failure of Government.

“The absurd obstacle course which a person experiencing homelessness has to get through in order to ‘qualify’ for housing help is intended to lock them out, because there simply isn’t enough housing for the ever-growing need.

“Draconian and highly subjective rules regularly result in the most vulnerable being the least likely to be helped.