Housing Justice Calls on Government to Step Up Measures to End Rough Sleeping
February 28, 2023
Official figures released today by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities show the number of rough sleepers counted on a single night in England in November 2022 stands at 3,069 compared to 2,440 for the same period last year. This figure represents a rise of 26% or 629 people.
The annual street count is a physical count of rough sleepers in all local authorities in England and is the government’s benchmark measure for progress towards its manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping in the 2019-2024 Parliament.
These numbers follow three years of unprecedented action on rough sleeping from councils and central government during the pandemic, so it is disappointing to see the pressures created by the cost-of-living crisis negating the positive impact of the ‘Everybody In’ scheme, ‘the Protect Programme’ and ‘Protect and Vaccinate’.
Faith and community groups often operate night shelters to support people experiencing rough sleeping during the coldest months. Housing Justice convenes the national network for these groups which provided 1,054 beds during the winter, meaning the street count would have been a third higher without those beds.
For a rough sleeper to be included in the count, there are strict criteria, with the government definition counting ‘people sleeping, or bedded down, in the open air (such as on the streets, or in doorways, parks or bus shelters); not people in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (such as barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats, stations, or ‘bashes’).
Housing Justice Chief Executive, Kathy Mohan OBE, said: “Today’s statistics firmly underline the challenge to ending rough sleeping in Britain. Behind these numbers are thousands of stories of trauma, disadvantage and a system that is too often failing too many.
“Our experience supporting voluntary night shelters across the country is that the increase this year is largely as a result of the end of local authorities using hotel accommodation during the ‘Everybody In’ scheme. We are yet to see the full impact of the cost-of-living crisis.
“We are also seeing pressures from other areas, such as a shortage of affordable housing in the private rented market, pressures in the asylum and immigration system, and the Local Housing Allowance all contributing to a very difficult picture in terms of moving people on from emergency accommodation once they are off the street.
“We know from the pandemic that with partnership working, funding and a shared sense of mission we can prevent anyone from having to sleep on our streets.
“The government should look now at increased prevention measures to stop next year’s count rising further.”
Ends
Notes to Editors:
Housing Justice is a small, highly influential national charity working to alleviate homelessness in all its forms. Our work makes a huge difference to thousands of people who stay at Night Shelters across the country, refugees being given a safe place to sleep within people’s homes, and those who are helped in some other way by our churches, faith and community groups, and their volunteers.
For further information or to arrange an interview with Kathy Mohan OBE, Housing Justice CEO or Jacob Quagliozzi, Housing Justice Director for England, please contact Housing Justice’s Marketing and Communications Manager, Joanna Whitney, on [email protected]
