Your Place response to Rough Sleeping Snapshot in England
Rough sleeping has risen by 26% in a year amid the cost of living crisis.
Today, data for rough sleeping in England in 2022 was published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). It provides a snapshot of the number people estimated to be sleeping rough on a single night in autumn, and is used to track national and local trends.
The count was conducted in November 2022, and found that:
- 3,069 people were estimated to be sleeping rough in England on a single night.
- This is a 26% increase on 2021, up by 626 people.
- It is the biggest year on year percentage increase in rough sleeping since 2015.
- Rough sleeping has increased by 74% when compared with the 2010 count, when the methodology was first used.
- The findings end a run of four straight years of the statistics falling.
Amanda Dubarry, Chief Executive of Your Place, said:
“This significant increase in the numbers of people sleeping rough is very sad to see, and illustrative on what we are experiencing in the London Borough of Newham, which has the highest rates of homelessness in the country.
“Services like Your Place are vital in responding to the growing homelessness crisis, and over the last two years we have developed and opened additional services to meet this need and to help solve homelessness one person at a time.
“People like Maria, who moved into Your Place last year after sleeping rough and on people’s sofa’s. Even with multiple jobs, Maria struggled to afford private rent. But now, she is in a much better place and getting ready to live independently.
“The cost-of-living crisis has left people having to make a choice between heating and eating, and along with the rising rents, is leading to an increase in people losing their homes. And it’s affecting services like Your Place struggling with increased financial pressures too. That’s why it’s essential that the Government take urgent action in the upcoming Budget and increase funding in line with inflation, recognising the significant increase to the costs of delivering services for people who are experiencing homelessness.”
To view the official DLUHC statistics please click here.
