'You just need a sleeping bag, one night, and a big enough heart to help...

FIGURES have revealed the shocking amount of Sunderland households which have hit “crisis point” and are on the brink of homelessness.

- DAVID HUNTLEY

On average, every 12 hours desperate households in the city are turning to the council for help.

The stark statistic has been revealed by the charity CEO Sleepout, ahead of a major annual fundraiser in the city. The 2025 Sunderland CEO Sleepout will see business leaders from across Wearside spend a night sleeping outdoors at the Stadium of Light on November 6.

The event raises thousands for causes across the city tackling poverty and homelessness, and CEO Sleepout’s Bianca Robinson said the situation across Wearside is getting worse.

She said: “Homelessness is no longer something happening in the shadows - it’s in our communities, at our schools, on our streets, and at our doorstep.”

Bianca believes factors such as the cost-of-living crisis and the housing and rental sectors are fuelling the problem. “On average, every 12 hours another Sunderland household has reached crisis point’, she said.

“Families are being pushed to the limit, and unless we act together, that figure will only climb. The business community is in a powerful, privileged position to help change that story.”

Data obtained via a Freedom of Information request by the North East-based charity show that last year, Sunderland City Council received 737 requests for temporary accommodation. In just two years, that figure has soared by 22%.