Record number living on London’s streets – charity’s claim

New figures from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network show that the number of people ‘living on the streets’ in London from April 2024 to March 2025 was 3,028 – a 27% rise on the same period a year before. 

The data also shows:

• Compared to 10 years ago (April 2014-March 2015), the total number of people living on the streets has increased 90%, from 1,595 to 3,028.
• Overall, the number of people forced to sleep rough in London from April 2024 to March 2025 was 13,231 – a 10% rise from the same period the year before.
• The number of people sleeping rough for the first time in London between April 2024 and March 2025 was 8,396, up 5% compared to the same time the year before.
• For more than 1 in 5 (23%) new people rough sleeping, their last settled home was private rented accommodation before being on the streets.

Crisis, a charity that seeks to help the homeless, claims that rising rents is part of the cause, along with benefits falling short of housing costs and gaps in support services for mental health and domestic abuse.

In 2023/24, over 320,000 households in England faced homelessness – the highest on record. In the past ten years, there has been a net loss of 180,067 social homes in England, with 1.3m households in England stuck on waiting lists for a social home. 

Crisis is demanding an additional 90,000 social rented homes to be built every year, as well as greater government funding for homelessness prevention and support.

Charity chief executive Matt Downie says: “These figures demonstrate a tragic failure at all levels to help people out of extreme poverty and away from the streets. No one should be forced to sleep or live on the streets because they have nowhere else to go.

“It’s vital that we capitalise on the very welcome momentum provided by recent funding announcements for social and affordable housing and for homelessness prevention, as well as the Mayor’s rough sleeping action plan. UK Ministers need to come forward with a clear plan for this funding, prioritising new homes for social rent and a national rollout of Housing First. We also urge the government to bring housing benefit back in line with the true cost of local rents, enabling people to find and keep a home.

“As rough sleeping poses almost constant threats and danger, we need to make sure people can access the support and housing they need to move away from the streets, or never reach the streets in the first place.”

This article is taken from Landlord Today