A new emergency has been declared across Greater Manchester this week, and it’s all to do with the private renting sector.
With recent analysis of official figures having revealed that the main reason people become homeless in our region is down to losing tenancies on private rented homes, four leading charities in the region have joined forces to declare a ‘private rent emergency’ across Greater Manchester, and kick off a new campaign this week.
Stepping Stone Projects, Mustard Tree, The Booth Centre, and Shelter Greater Manchester – which are all dedicated to tackling poverty and ending homelessness – have called for “major changes” to help protect thousands of locals at risk of losing the roof over their heads.
Launched to coincide with World Homeless Day, the new Greater Manchester Private Rent Emergency campaign is aiming to address the escalating homelessness “crisis” in our region.
A new private renting ’emergency’ has been declared in Greater Manchester / Credit: Flickr | Wikimedia Commons
Statistics published by Shelter back in January sadly revealed that our region has some of the highest levels of homelessness in the UK, while Manchester itself ranks as third-highest in the country for homelessness per capita, with around 7,407 people – which is equivalent to one in 74 people – experiencing homelessness.
Rents in some parts of Greater Manchester are rising by as much as 38% annually, which is leaving an escalating number households relying on temporary accommodation.
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The new campaign has been launched by four leading homelessness charities in the region / Credit: Giving Compass
The four charities argue that these worrying numbers been exacerbated by “a perfect storm” of soaring rents, Local Housing Allowance frozen at 2020 levels, the benefit cap, increasing evictions, and, of course, the current cost of living crisis.
This is why they’re calling on local Councils, politicians, and a range of other stakeholders to publicly-recognise the crisis in the private rental sector.
The four charities are also urging these groups to back their plans for reform.
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The campaign is calling for “major changes” to help protect thousands at risk of losing their homes / Credit: Pixabay | Geograph
Dave Smith, who is the Chief Executive of Stepping Stone Projects – which supports around 2,000 people at risk of homelessness in Greater Manchester – said the charity has seen a “surging demand” for temporary accommodation from local people who have “effectively been shut out of the private rented sector”.
“This must be recognised and tackled if we are serious about reducing homelessness in Greater Manchester,” he added.
Shelter UK’s Greater Manchester Strategic Lead, John Ryan, also echoed this claim, saying that while the charity’s seen “positive steps” to address rough sleeping and homelessness in the region, the remaining problems that we see will “continue to grow without reform of the private rented sector”.
Over the next couple of months, the campaign group says it will be sharing further information and case studies to highlight the extent of the private renting problem in Greater Manchester.
Featured Image – Albert Bridge (via Geograph)
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Lady Gaga announces MASSIVE gig at Co-op Live this year
Thomas Melia
American pop icon Lady Gaga is returning to the UK and is making a special stop in Manchester to celebrate her latest album, MAYHEM.
‘Mother Monster’ is returning to our lovely city for one night only ahead of her ‘The MAYHEM Ball Tour’, which is reaching the UK in October.
Gaga last visited Manchester over a decade ago when she brought ‘artRAVE: The Artpop Ball’ to AO Arena back in 2014.
The past few months have been mega for the 14-time Grammy-winning artist who has seen her Bruno Mars link-up ‘Die With A Smile’ catapult her career to new audiences and even further heights.
This single alone holds the record for the longest-running daily #1 hit on Spotify’s global chart, dethroning ‘Dance Monkey’ by Tones and I, which spent 121 days atop the chart.
Whether you’re showing up and showing out for classics such as ‘Poker Face’ and ‘Bad Romance’, or rocking up to hear new favourites like ‘Rain On Me’ and ‘Garden Of Eden’, this night will be a spectacle, that’s for sure.
This unmatched performer has chosen none other than Co-op Live as the destination for her newest tour, and we’re sure the arena will be packed with 23,500 of Gaga’s devoted ‘Little Monsters’.
Lady Gaga’s newest album, MAYHEM, is an ode to her discography and legacy as an artist with tracks like drawing from almost 20 year career: ‘Disease’, ‘Perfect Celebrity’, ‘Don’t Call Tonight’ and more.
Her latest single, ‘Abracadabra’, is already becoming a modern-day pop phenomenon too, as she evokes her familiar but ever-enigmatic pop star persona – we just wish we could magic ourselves some of those precious tickets.
The US performer took to social media to express her excitement, stating: “This show is designed to be the kind of theatrical and electrifying experience that brings MAYHEM to life exactly how I envision it.”
Gaga’s UK tour run is limited with a three-show residency at The O2 in London confirmed and this one-off Manchester gig announced so far.
With Gaga’s last visit being over 10 years ago, anyone looking to get their hands on any tickets will have to act fast.
She sure knows how to raise a roof, and when you have a single titled ‘Applause’ all about her adoration of playing to live crowds, we have no doubt this will be a night the die-hard fans will never forget.
Lady Gaga is bringing her ‘MAYHEM Ball Tour’ to Co-op Live on 7 October, with pre-sale tickets available from Monday 31 March onwards with general admission tickets going up from Thursday, 3 April at 12pm.
Former Manchester City player Joey Barton found guilty of assaulting his wife
Danny Jones
Ex-footballer Joey Barton has officially been found guilty of assaulting his wife following his two-day trial in the capital this week.
Barton, who played for Manchester City, Newcastle United, Queens Park Rangers and a number of other clubs, was convicted at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 25 March, following an incident back in June 2021.
The former midfielder left his wife, 37-year-old Georgia Barton (McNeil), with a bleeding nose and a bruise on her forehead following a drunken row at their home in London.
Barton is said to have grabbed and pushed her to the floor before kicking her in the head. Married in 2019, the two have four children and are thought to still be together.
The 42-year-old was still employed in professional football as the manager of Bristol Rovers at the time, but he was ultimately sacked in October 2023.
His wife called 999 at the time, telling police that he had hit her, but later retracted her statement.
Born in Huyton, Merseyside, the chief magistrate Paul Goldspring recognised that the one-time England has a history of violence.
He was given a 12-week suspended prison sentence, meaning he won’t serve time unless he commits another offence and has been ordered to pay £2,138.
Since dropping out of mainstream football, in particular, Barton has come under heavy criticism for allegations of racism, sexism and controversial right-wing politics; he even started an ‘anti-woke’ podcast called Common Sense with Joey Barton.
Back in June of last year, he was ordered to pay £35,000 in damages to settle a libel claim with presenter Jeremy Vine after a series of inflammatory comments made online.
The Radio 2 presenter sued Mr Barton earlier this year, after the former footballer wrote a series of posts suggesting Mr Vine had a sexual interest in children.
He also accused of threatening fellow former pro, Eni Aluko, after a torrent of abuse regarding her punditry online – the ex-England international even went so far as to say she no longer felt safe staying in the country.
Emily Sergeant -
11th October 2023 
