Crisis calls on the Westminster government to establish a
cross-government homelessness unit and commit to giving local
authorities the funding they need to support people out of
homelessness
Figures from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network
(CHAIN), released today, show that the numbers of people sleeping
rough in London from April to June 2024 have increased by almost
30% from the same period last year. The data shows:
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In total, 4,223 people were seen sleeping rough from April to
June 2024, up from 3,272 in the same period last year – an
increase of 29%.
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The number of people sleeping rough for the first time in
London rose to 1,931 in April to June 2024, up from 1,614 in
April to June 2023 – an increase of 20%.
Last week the National Audit Office (NAO) published a report
examining the effectiveness of the UK government's handling of
homelessness since 2017. The report found that homelessness has
increased significantly in recent years, while local authorities
have struggled to respond due to a significant reduction in
social housing. In September 2022, the Department for Levelling
Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) published a rough sleeping
strategy, but the NAO report also found that DLUHC had no
strategy or public targets for reducing statutory homelessness.
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister announced new housing
proposals with an emphasis on increasing the supply of affordable
and social housing. Having long called for 90,000 new social
homes per-year to tackle homelessness, Crisis welcomes the
government's commitment.
Responding to today's figures, Matt Downie, Chief
Executive at Crisis, said: “It's shameful that thousands
of people are being forced to bed down on the capital's streets -
moving between night buses, or staying awake in doorways and
24-hour cafes. No one should have to face this level of danger.
This bleak reality for over 4,000 people must change.
“Sky high rents and a desperate lack of social housing mean that
more and more people are unable to keep a roof over their head.
Councils are struggling to fund essential support services for
those who need it.
“This week the Government has made welcome announcements on
building more social and affordable homes, which are desperately
needed. But alongside this we urgently need a unit for ending
homelessness to be established, backed by the prime minister and
engaging with regional mayors, to deliver a strategy on tackling
homelessness. This would provide overdue co-ordination across
government to bring us closer to a future free from homelessness.
We stand ready to work with the government to achieve this.”
-Ends-
Notes to Editor
CHAIN
Today, Wednesday 31 July 2024, the Combined Homelessness and
Information Network (CHAIN) statistics have been published,
showing levels of rough sleeping across London for the period
April to June 2024.
Conducted by outreach teams in regular contact with people on the
streets, CHAIN is considered the most thorough approach to
collecting data on people sleeping rough.
Read and download the latest CHAIN figures here: https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/chain-reports
