Shelter warns of worsening crisis as rough sleeping figures reach alarming levels

The number of people sleeping rough in England has more than doubled since 2010, according to new research.

Data from the government reveals the number of rough sleepers has increased by more than 120% since 2010.

In 2023, 3,898 people were recorded sleeping rough on a given night, a 27% increase in one year.

Spiralling out of control

The statistics reveal that 1,132 people were seen sleeping rough on a single night in London in 2023 compared to 858 in 2022.

According to London Councils, a key factor in the increase in rough sleepers is down to the number of people being evicted from Home Office accommodation after receiving decisions on their asylum applications.

The Local Government Association for Greater London boroughs says councils need to ensure adequate housing arrangements are in place to avoid refugees and asylum-seekers becoming homeless.

Councillor Darren Rodwell, London Councils’ executive member for regeneration, housing and planning, said: “These devastating figures are the latest evidence of London’s homelessness emergency.

“Local support services are under immense pressure and the crisis is spiralling out of control.

“Tackling rough sleeping requires a range of policy measures, as well as close partnerships between different agencies and long-term funding commitments for the frontline services keeping people off the streets. The government must do more to invest in this work and turn the situation around.”

Need to build more social homes

New figures also reveal the number of homeless children in temporary accommodation hit a record high.

According to government figures,142,490 children and a total of 78,460 households in England faced homelessness between July and September 2023.

Nearly 110,000 households are currently homeless in temporary accommodation.

Shelter warns the figures will only get worse unless the government takes decisive action. The housing charity is calling for more social homes to be built to ease the crisis.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “These figures are further proof that the government cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the housing emergency. Far from ending rough sleeping, through its own ineffectiveness, the government has allowed it to more than double on their watch, while the number of children homeless in temporary accommodation hits yet another shameful high.

“We haven’t built enough social homes in decades, and with rents at a record high, thousands of people are being forced to spend their nights freezing on street corners. Meanwhile, families are being pushed into grim hostels and B&Bs miles away from their support networks and where children have to share beds.

“The only lasting solution is for the government and all political parties to commit to build genuinely affordable and good quality social homes – we need 90,000 a year.”

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