Dozens face losing their homes in South Tyneside

Ministry of Justice data shows 54 claims to repossess properties in South Tyneside were lodged by mortgage lenders and landlords between July and September.

Of those, 16 were for homes owned by mortgage-holders, while the rest were to evict tenants.

In the same period in 2021, 18 claims were submitted.

Despite this, there were still fewer bids to remove people from their homes than in 2019 – before the coronavirus pandemic – when 107 claims were lodged between July and September.

Nationally, the figures show a big increase in repossession activity with 5,400 evictions.

Housing charity Shelter has accused the Government of ignoring an unfolding "crisis" in the rental market, where prices are rising rapidly.

Polly Neate, Shelter chief executive, said: “There is a housing hole in last week’s budget. Housing benefit remains frozen at 2020 levels when private rents have been rising at record rates.

“Increasing Universal Credit will really help people struggling to pay their food and fuel bills, but crucially it doesn’t cover rents which are most people’s biggest outgoing.

"Unless housing benefit is increased, the shortfall with real rents will only grow – swallowing up other benefit increases.”

The criticism was echoed by homelessness charity Crisis, with chief executive Matt Downie adding: "Abandoning renters during a recession and cost-of-living crisis is unforgiveable."

The Government has announced that Universal Credit claimants struggling with rising interest costs on their mortgages would be able to access a Government loan after three months, rather than nine.