Fall in rough sleeping in capital ‘encouraging’, says homeless charity

New figures that show a 17% fall in people rough sleeping in London are ‘encouraging’, but more work is needed to continue the progress as the cost-of-living crisis worsens, says Homeless Link.

The new Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) rough sleeping figures for London from October to December 2021 show that 1314 people slept rough for the first time in that period, a 17% reduction when compared to the same period in 2020.

Of these 1314 people, 75% slept rough for just one night, and only 3% were deemed to be living on the street.

Overall, the number of people deemed to be living on the streets increased to 40, a 60% increase on the previous quarter but a 15% reduction compared to the same period in 2020.

Rick Henderson, CEO at Homeless Link, commented: ‘Everyone deserves a safe place to live and the support they need to maintain it. Therefore, the continued drop in the number of people rough sleeping in the capital is greatly encouraging. The numbers are testament to the dedication of local authorities and homeless charities across London, who have gone above and beyond during the pandemic to provide stable accommodation and support to those who need it.

‘But, over 1,300 people being forced to sleep rough over three months is still far too high. At the same time, the rise in the number of people living on the streets shows more needs to be done to support those with the most complex needs. 

‘With the much reported cost of living crisis starting to take hold and possibly pushing more people into homelessness in the near future, it’s vital that we keep pushing forward in the coming months to continue this heartening progress.’

The full data from CHAIN can be viewed here.

In related news, fuel stress is set to affect five million families as they’re hit with an extra £693 a year on their energy bills. But is the government doing enough to help those at the heart of the cost of living crisis?

Photo by Tom Parsons