MORE than 70 households in Barrow-in-Furness were homeless or threatened with homelessness last winter, figures show.

The national decrease in the threat of homelessness came as the Government and local authorities sought to ensure as many people as possible had roofs over their heads during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Between October and December last year, 40 families or individuals in Barrow-in-Furness were identified as homeless by the council, down from 50 the year before, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government figures show.

A further 39 households were eligible for council help as they were at risk of homelessness in winter 2020 - up from 24 in 2019.

There were two households in temporary accommodation in Barrow-in-Furness on December 31 2020 – five fewer than the year before and including one child – while one household was assessed as sleeping rough in the area at that time.

There were around four households in Barrow-in-Furness facing that threat last winter – the same as the previous year.