New figures released today (31 January) by the Combined
Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) reveal that the
numbers of people sleeping rough on London’s streets are at their
highest level in ten years.
Between October and December 2023, 2,283 people were newly
sleeping rough across the capital – a 34% increase from the same
quarter last year. This is another record high, second only to
April-June 2020.
In total, 4,389 people were seen sleeping on the capital’s
streets - a 23% increase from the same period in 2022.
The figures throw into sharp focus how the increasing cost of
living, sky rocketing rents and low wages are pushing thousands
into homelessness and the dangers of sleeping rough.
The figures come as Crisis urges the Westminster Government to
remove cruel new measures to criminalise people forced to sleep
rough in the Criminal Justice Bill. The Bill proposes new powers
for police and local authorities to enforce against so-called
‘nuisance rough sleeping’. These powers include being moved on,
imprisonment and a fine up of up £2,500. These plans draw on much
of the measures in the archaic Vagrancy Act, which the Government
committed to repeal in February 2022.
Matt Downie, Chief Executive at Crisis, said:
“These figures are a damning indictment of the current approach
to tackling rough sleeping and show we urgently need a change in
strategy. Currently, instead of tackling our broken housing
system, which would bring these shameful numbers down, the
Westminster Government is focusing its energy on introducing new
powers to criminalise people for sleeping on the streets.
“Life on the streets means being exposed to unimaginable cruelty.
Our research shows that nine in ten people experience violence or
abuse, with many having had bricks or bottles thrown at them,
while others had been urinated on. The proposals in the Criminal
Justice Bill will do nothing to ensure that people rough sleeping
do not have to face this inhumanity, nor will it support them
away from the streets for good.
“The Government must not consign thousands more to a life on the
streets. It’s crucial that we invest in the solutions we know
work, such as building more social housing and funding support
services like Housing First. The Criminal Justice Bill must also
be amended to remove the parts that criminalise homelessness. No
one should be punished for not having a home.”
-Ends-
Notes to Editor
