Facts & Stats

Someone becomes street homeless in London almost every 2 hours as rough sleeping hits a record high. Data shows more than 2000 people slept rough for the first time in capital during three months to October 2019. Data collected shows 3985 slept rough across the capital from July to September 2019, 28% increase on the same period last year. Figures show that 2,069 people were new rough sleepers, a rise of 50% in 12 months, meaning someone is becoming homeless 22 times a day and nearly every 2 hours.

In 2024 homelessness has risen exponentially increasing by 165% - Combined In  Homelessness & Information Network (Chain).

In 2018, London accounted for 27% of the total number of rough sleepers in the UK. - Evolve Housing

In a rare survey of homeless people it was discovered that people who slept rough are 17 times more prone to facing physical attacks than the rest of the UK public and are 15 times more likely to have suffered verbal abuse. One in 10 homeless people have been victims of sexual assault while more than half have had their possessions stolen. - Survey carried out by CRISIS homeless charity.

An estimated 148 people died while homeless in London last year. The average age for death was just 45 yers old for men and 43 for women, compared with 76 for men and 81 for women among the rest of the population. A homeless rough sleeper is 9 times more likely to commit suicide than the average person. - Streets Of London.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has more than doubled his rough sleeping budget to £19.2m to help more homeless Londoners than ever get off the streets. - Gov.Org

The Capitals local authorities spent over £919 million on homelessness services in 2017/18. £201 million of this expenditure was not covered by central government grants or councils housing income (such as rental payments), meaning boroughs resorted to covering the costs from their general funds (which could be used for other council services). If current trends continue, the total cost of Londons homelessness services will increase to over £1 billion a year by 2021/22. If funding arrangements do not change, the cost to boroughs general funds is estimated to rise to £237 million by 2022/23 - Representing an increasing population of boroughs total homelessness spending. - LSE government funded research.