The Blitz: Bomb survivor describes her experiences

Britain was not prepared for homelessness on such a scale.

State assistance was inadequate and emergency centres set up to deal with the problem could not cope. Many families had to rely on relatives and friends.

The job of repairing buildings during the War was hampered because many craftsmen and labourers had joined the Armed Services.

Temporary dwellings - often little more than huts - began to spring up in bomb-damaged areas. In some of the worst affected areas - for example, the East End of London - families were still living in pre-fabricated bungalows long after the War had ended.