New figures today from the Combined Homelessness and Information
Network (CHAIN) reveal that from July to
September 2021:
- 2,918 people slept rough across London, a 13%
increase on the previous quarter and 15% drop
on the same period last year
- 1,361 slept rough for the first time, a 16%
rise on the last quarter
- 1,615 people had support needs including 1,146 with
mental health needs
Responding to the figures, Matt Downie, Director of
Policy and External Affairs at Crisis,
said: “It’s encouraging to see that the number
of people forced to sleep rough has
dropped since the pandemic sparked a surge in
people being forced out onto the capital’s
streets. But there’s early indication that
these numbers are starting to creep back
up which cannot be allowed to go
unchecked.
“What's more, with more than half of people sleeping rough
in London with support needs such as mental
health, people facing multiple challenges to end their
homelessness are being left out in the cold.
“We urgently need to see Government action to make sure everyone
has somewhere safe and secure to live. The funding announced
to tackle rough sleeping in the Budget this week and in the
Winter Pressures Fund today is welcome, but for this to
make a real impact the money must be
used immediately on effective solutions, like a
national roll-out of Housing First, so people with complex
support needs get the right help to end their homelessness for
good.”
-Ends-
Notes to Editor
About Crisis
Crisis is the national charity for homeless people. We help
people directly out of homelessness, and campaign for the social
changes needed to solve it altogether. We know that together we
can end homelessness.
The Combined Homelessness and
Information Network (CHAIN) is the most comprehensive
data available about the number of people rough sleeping in
London.
The figures show that between July-September 2021:
· 2,918
people were recorded sleeping rough – this is a 13% increase on
the last quarter and 15% drop on the same period on the previous
year.
· 1,361 were
seen rough sleeping for the first
time, representing 47% of all people seen sleeping
rough.
· 1,615
people had support needs, including 1,146 with mental health
needs. In total, among those where information about support
needs is available, 76% had at least one support need.
· 425 people
were living on the streets (seen rough sleeping for 3
weeks or more or five or more contacts this quarter). This is 8%
higher than the last quarter and 26% higher than the same time
last year.
· 81% of
people supported off the streets went into emergency or temporary
accommodation, compared to 19% moving into long term
accommodation.
Today the Government announced support for rough
sleepers over winter
