New figures today from the Combined Homelessness and Information
Network (CHAIN) – the most comprehensive data available about the
number of rough sleepers in London – reveals that from October to
December 2020, 3,307 people slept rough across London, with 412
people trapped living on the streets for weeks at a time during
this period – a 23% increase on the previous quarter. (1)
The figures also show:
- 1,582 people were new to rough sleeping during this period, a
17% drop from the last quarter and a 9% decrease from the same
period last year
- Despite this 47 people who were new to rough sleeping during
this period went straight to living on the streets for weeks at a
time, a 47% increase on the previous quarter and a 31% increase
on the same period last year
- 535 people were accommodated in COVID-19 emergency
accommodation during this quarter, a 58% drop since the previous
quarter
In response to these statistics, Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of
Crisis, said:
“These statistics paint a worrying picture of homelessness across
our capital as 2020 came to a close – with over 3,000 people
sleeping on our streets and over 400 individuals spending week
after week this way. Most concerningly, this was against the
backdrop of rapidly rising coronavirus cases and temperatures
dropping. In such circumstances, being forced to sleep on the
streets is not just dangerous, it’s life threatening.
“Since these figures were recorded, and following the third
national lockdown, the Westminster Government announced funding
for councils to redouble efforts to get everyone in, rightly
recognising that it was perilous for people to be on the streets.
This will have provided a lifeline to many people sleeping rough
across the capital.
“Despite this, we are still hearing reports of people falling
through the cracks and being denied help – in many cases because
of their immigration status. We urge government to be crystal
clear that ‘everyone in’ must mean everyone, so that no one
sleeping rough is denied vital support when the risk to life
remains high.
“As the economic impact of the pandemic continues to take its
toll, we are in real danger of seeing more people pushed into
poverty and homelessness. As we look ahead, we must build back
better by addressing the lack of genuinely affordable housing
which deprives many people of the basic right to a secure home.”
-Ends-
Notes to Editor
(1) https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/chain-reports
(Quarter 3 Report - 2020/21)
