New statistics released from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government show that 4,667 people slept on the streets in England on a snapshot night in autumn 2024, an increase of 769 people (20%) from the autumn 2023 total of 3,898.
The data also shows that:
- Nearly half (45%) of all people sleeping rough on a single night in autumn are in London and the South East, which is similar to previous years.
- The largest regional increase was in London, rising from 1,132 in 2023 to 1,318 in 2024 – an increase of 186 people or 16%. The only region with a decrease was the North West of England – a decrease of 2 people.
In addition, new quarterly data on Statutory Homelessness in England was released today (27 February 2025) by MHCLG which covers the period July to September 2024. In total, 44,920 households were assessed homeless, up 1.5% from the same quarter last year, and 36,450 households were assessed as at risk of homelessness, which is down 1.3% from the same quarter last year.
Emma Haddad, Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, said: “With 4,667 people rough sleeping on a single night in England last autumn – a 20% increase since 2023 – this latest rise in figures shows homelessness is closer to home than we think.
St Mungo’s frontline teams see the real impact of this ongoing crisis everyday with more and more people being pushed onto the streets and needing our help. We can see statutory services struggling and buckling under the pressures these numbers create. We know the longer it takes to provide people with the support they need, the more complex their support needs become; early intervention is vital to break this heartbreaking cycle.
Emergency funding continues to be essential to tackle this homelessness crisis, but longer-term funding for preventive programmes alongside improved housing affordability and supply are also needed to fix the root causes and move away from crisis response.
Putting prevention at the forefront of the Government’s homelessness strategy will be key, and we will continue working with government and all partners to end homelessness for good.”
