HOMELESSNESS in Wales remains at worrying levels despite a small drop in official figures, according to charity Crisis.

New Welsh Government data published on Thursday (Apr 2) shows that 6,426 households were living in temporary accommodation on September 30, 2025 — a one per cent fall on the same point last year, but still the third highest figure on record.

The statistics, covering the period from April to September 2025, also show that just over a third of households in temporary accommodation were being housed in bed and breakfast accommodation. That figure fell from 41 per cent to 35 per cent compared with the same period a year earlier.

During the six-month period, 3,645 households were threatened with homelessness, down 10 per cent on the previous year. In 58 per cent of those cases, homelessness was successfully prevented for at least six months, compared with 56 per cent the year before.

A further 5,556 households were assessed as homeless and owed a duty to help secure accommodation, a drop of 14 per cent. Of those, 28 per cent were successfully helped to secure accommodation, compared with 25 per cent last year.

Crisis said the figures do not capture the full scale of the problem, warning that many people experiencing hidden homelessness are not included in council records.

Ahead of the Senedd election in May, the charity is calling on all political parties in Wales to make ending homelessness a priority.

Crisis said the recently passed Homelessness and Social Housing Allocations (Wales) Act, which received cross-party backing in the Senedd, could help reduce homelessness in future. However, it warned that the next Welsh Government would need to back the new law with proper investment and a clear plan for delivery.

Debbie Thomas, Head of Policy and Communications at Crisis in Wales, said: “While today’s statistics show a welcome decrease in the numbers of people experiencing homelessness, this is certainly no time for complacency.

“The picture in Wales remains deeply troubling as thousands of people are still living in instability, with the numbers of people living in temporary accommodation being the third highest on record.

“Behind these numbers are families and individuals stuck for months in temporary accommodation, often without basic cooking or washing facilities, unsure when they will have a stable place to call home.

“Through our services, we see every day the impact homelessness has on people’s lives, including their physical and mental health. No one should have to experience long-term trauma because of insecure housing.

“With housing services across the country struggling with continuously high caseloads, we need the next Welsh Government to commit to ending homelessness for good.”

She added that the new homelessness law offered hope, but said meaningful change would depend on firm commitments after the election.

“We must see a clear plan to end homelessness, investment in actioning the new homelessness law, and building the social homes we so desperately need,” she said.

“With the right action and political will, we can build a future where everyone in Wales has a safe, secure place to call home.”

THE PORT OF MILFORD HAVEN has renewed its Gold Associate Supporter sponsorship of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, continuing its backing for young people across Pembrokeshire during the charity’s 70th anniversary year.

The Port has supported the programme since 2021. In 2025 and 2026, the DofE is expected to support 375 young people across nine schools in the county: Milford Haven School, Ysgol Harri Tudur, Haverfordwest High, Ysgol Greenhill School, Portfield School, Redhill School, Ysgol Bro Preseli, Ysgol Caer Elen and Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi.

The partnership helps more young people take part in volunteering, physical activity, skills development and expedition activities. Extra funding will also support efforts to reach marginalised groups.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is widely recognised for helping young people aged 14 to 24 build confidence, resilience and practical life skills. By continuing its support at gold level, the Port is helping more young people in Pembrokeshire gain new experiences and develop skills for the future.

Ian Gwilym, of DofE Wales, said: “It’s fantastic that the Port of Milford Haven is continuing its valuable support at gold level, especially in this 70th anniversary year for the DofE. This partnership shows how strongly the Port values giving young people opportunities to gain meaningful experiences and life-enhancing skills. Their support is helping more young people in Pembrokeshire step forward with confidence into their futures.”

Anna Malloy, Communications and Marketing Director at the Port of Milford Haven, said: “We are incredibly proud to celebrate the DofE’s 70th anniversary as a gold sponsor. The programme reflects values that matter deeply to us as an organisation – determination, leadership, community spirit and personal growth. By supporting young people across Pembrokeshire, we’re investing in a future generation that is skilled, resilient and ready to contribute to our community and region.”

FORMER BBC presenter Scott Mills was sacked after senior management learned that the alleged victim in a historic police investigation was under the age of 16, according to reports.

The BBC has confirmed that it was aware in 2017 of an ongoing police investigation into allegations of serious sexual offences, but said fresh information only came to light in recent weeks. The corporation then terminated Mills’ contracts on Friday, March 27.

The Metropolitan Police said the investigation began in December 2016 following a referral from another force. It related to allegations of serious sexual offences against a teenage boy, reported to have taken place between 1997 and 2000.

A man, then in his 40s, was questioned under caution in July 2018. Police later passed a full file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service, which decided the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges. The investigation was closed in May 2019.

Mills, 53, said this week that he had fully cooperated with the investigation and responded to police in 2018.

In a statement, he said the matter related to an allegation dating back nearly 30 years and noted that the police investigation had been closed seven years ago. He said he hoped the public and media would respect his wish not to make any further comment.

The former Radio 2 breakfast host did not address the substance of the allegations in his statement, nor did he give further detail about what led to his dismissal by the BBC.

The BBC said it had obtained new information in recent weeks and had spoken directly with Mills before taking action.

A spokesperson said: “What we can confirm is that in recent weeks, we obtained new information relating to Scott and we spoke directly with him. As a result, the BBC acted decisively in line with our culture and values and terminated his contracts on Friday 27 March.”

The corporation also confirmed that it is now carrying out further work to establish exactly what was known internally at the time the police investigation first came to its attention in 2017.

Questions are now being asked about whether BBC managers at the time knew the age of the alleged victim, and whether the matter should have been escalated more widely within the organisation.

Mills last presented his Radio 2 breakfast show on Tuesday, March 24, signing off by telling listeners he would be back the following day. He has not returned to air since.

His departure has triggered renewed scrutiny of the BBC’s handling of allegations involving high-profile presenters, particularly in light of the broadcaster’s more recent emphasis on tougher internal standards and a zero-tolerance approach to misconduct.