This Christmas an unprecedented amount of children in Wales will be homeless and living in temporary accommodation with no place to call home, according to a charity.

With thousands of people on the brink of poverty and no sign of the cost of living crisis coming to an end, homelessness is a reality that many people are facing this Christmas, says Shelter Cymru.

People find themselves amidst a bleak reality, trapped in unsuitable living conditions which is adversely impacting the ability of children and families to live healthy happy lives, as they wait weeks, months or even years for a settled home.

The housing emergency gripping Wales can weigh even more heavily on families in temporary accommodation during the holiday season.

Christmas, which is meant to be a time of joy and merriment, is a stark contrast to their struggle to get through the day.

The inability to provide a stable and suitable home for their loved ones is a distressing reality for parents, sometimes required to move between different temporary addresses at short notice, while trying to shield their children from their harsh and precarious circumstances.

Shelter Cymru said: "The people we help tell us about the practical struggles of having the whole family in one room, having just a kettle to prepare meals with, or being unable to wash clothes or eat a hot meal without queuing up to use a shared washing machine or microwave.

"Imagine trying to prepare a Christmas dinner in a Bed and Breakfast, often miles away from family and other support networks, and then eating it in the family’s bedroom with no space for children to play.

"The people we help talk about their life being on hold and a feeling of being in limbo.

"Employment opportunities, education, relationships, and health and wellbeing are adversely affected.

Both adults and children tell us about their feelings of loneliness and isolation.

"Changes of address can mean a change of school; children can’t invite friends over to play at their Bed & Breakfast; being far away from family support just adds to the practical problems of getting to work, and can make it unaffordable, to get to work or see family and friends.

"The current housing crisis in Wales, characterised by unaffordable rents and a severe shortage of social homes, has resulted in a staggering number of people being affected.

"People just can’t find, or haven’t got the financial reserves to find a home in the private rented sector and there are nearly 140,000 people on the waiting list for a social home.

"As people, both renters and homeowners, are faced with the real prospect of losing their home in the coming year, the pressures on housing services across Wales will be immense.

"Shelter Cymru is a lifeline to people in housing need, and our advice and support can mean the very real difference between a family keeping or losing a home. That’s why we’re asking people to support our Appeal this Christmas, if they can."

Tracy is a disabled single mum of four children. The family had to leave their home when their landlord decided to sell the property. But like many people, the current price of rent has made finding a permanent, affordable home incredibly difficult. Although they have a temporary place to stay, if it’s a B&B, the accommodation is small and the family have been forced to give up a lot of their possessions due to lack of space.

Additionally, two of Tracy’s children have complex needs, making the move even more difficult to cope with.

“We are stuck in one room and I’m struggling every day to just keep it together. It’s affecting the kids as they have no space to themselves – no personal space, or even space to play. They can’t have any friends over.”

Shelter Cymru has been a lifeline for Tracy’s family and has stood by her giving help, advice and support. Together, we are working to find the forever home that she and her children need. And we won’t give up. It doesn’t have to be this way. A large amount of our time is spent preventing homelessness from happening in the first place, by giving people the advice and support they need to keep their safe place of refuge – their home.

Ruth Power, CEO of Shelter Cymru said: ‘We know first-hand the negative impact that not having a home and living in temporary accommodation has on people’s mental and physical health. And we know that homelessness affects children and young people’s education, and can have lifelong impacts. Children also feel the fear, unhappiness and loneliness of homelessness, despite families’ best efforts to protect them.

There simply aren’t enough homes that people can afford in Wales. As a result, more than 11,000 people are living in temporary accommodation in Wales, including nearly 3,500 children, more than double the amount than in December 2020. Both renters and homeowners, are faced with the real prospect of losing their home in the coming year, and without more resources the pressures on homelessness services across Wales will be immense.

Homelessness is everyone’s concern. We must all do what we can to ensure that no child or adult spends another Christmas in unsuitable temporary accommodation. Every child deserves a safe place to call home.’