Number of people in Staffordshire in furniture poverty 'unbelievably high'
Charities are warning that the problems only getting worse
It's claimed thousands of households across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are living in so-called furniture poverty.
Stats suggest around 9000 of those include children who don't have their own bed to sleep in.
Others are said to be struggling to afford things like settees, tables and basic appliances like kettles.
"In many properties there's literally nothing." said John Webbe, Executive Lead at charity Emmaus North Staffs.
"There's literally just the floors and walls. It's an absolute reality out there, if someone is on low wages or benefits and they get a new house - either privately rented or socially rented, they simply don't have the money to kit out their house. Even with second hand furniture and appliances.
"A lot of people have heard of fuel poverty, food poverty and energy poverty - but people don't realise what's going on behind closed doors. Thousands of local people have got a roof over their heads but they haven't got a bed to sleep in. The levels of furniture poverty and appliance poverty in North Staffordshire is unbelievably high.
"This is an issue affecting millions of people and it's really weird how under the radar furniture poverty is."
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