Each month, we’re going to share some of the stories about property, social housing, and homelessness that we think matter. For October, this is what caught our eye.

A collection of 18 charities and organisations that help the homeless issued a warning about the risk to lives this winter. The group is urging the government to provide funding to help find shelter and accommodation for the hundreds of thousands of people who’ll be affected. https://bbc.in/2H14SUU

Worryingly, the number of homeless people living in rural areas has risen by 115% in the past two years, partly due to a lack of available housing, funding and the rise of people in need of housing. https://bit.ly/3e9AJiC

The Government recently released new guidance for councils to help ensure care leavers have the stable homes they need and prevent them from becoming homeless. This is so important as care leavers can often struggle to cope with the challenges of living independently at a young age https://bit.ly/31TXzpy

Living on the streets is dangerous for everyone, but for women, there is an increased chance of violence and assault. This BBC women’s hour segment explores how COVID-19 has worsened living conditions for homeless women: https://bbc.in/3e5kNho