Rough sleeping up 9% in London in a year

The number of people sleeping rough in London has increased by 9% compared to last year.

Figures released by the London Assembly found 3,272 individuals were sleeping rough in the capital from April to June 2023.

This is up from 2,998 individuals from April to June 2022.

Despite an 83.6% male majority, one large homeless shelter said it was seeing an alarming increase in young women turning to it for help.

Whitechapel Mission provides breakfast for 350 people daily, with queues around the block, says director Tony Miller.

Mr Miller is expecting the London rough sleeping figures to continue rising and has painted a bleak picture going into the winter.

He told the BBC: "While for both genders numbers are rising, we see more than ever now that young women, between 18 and 25, are coming through the door who mainly have drug-related problems.

"Our experience is that while they are not on the streets because of drugs, they are taken advantage of when in that situation and become reliant on drugs, mainly crack."

Another recent pattern the Whitechapel Mission has observed is that more people are seeking advice from the shelter who are on the cusp of homelessness but not yet on the street.

Mr Miller believes that while during the pandemic the Everyone Inside scheme saw almost all homeless Londoners housed temporarily, all of those who were sheltered are back on the streets.

He added: "Covid policy instructed councils to put them into hostels but there has not been continuous enough funding keeping them off the streets. Those least vulnerable are young single men, which is why when there isn't enough accommodation they make up the biggest majority on the streets.

"We also see a lot of failed asylum seekers who are leaving their accommodation and hiding from the police."

The mission has hired six more staff ahead of the winter.

Romanians currently make up 11% rough sleeping in London, and Mr Miller says that number is increasing rapidly.

Fernando, 24, is one of them. He has been living on the streets for four years and says that most people sleeping where he sleeps are Romanian.

He said: "It's so difficult; it's not easy living life on the streets. Sometimes we're not eating, we have no money."

Fernando says he is waiting for his documents and then plans to work: "In my country, it's difficult. But here it's good work and a good life."

Rick Henderson, chief executive of Homeless Link, said the number of rough sleepers was not looking like getting smaller.

"Sadly, this appalling pattern of an increasing number of new people having to resort to sleeping rough in London shows no sign of going away," he said.

"London is at the sharp end of issues we are seeing across the country; namely a huge lack of genuinely affordable housing, soaring rents and homelessness services struggling to make ends meet. The government's target of ending rough sleeping in England by next year is now looking completely out of reach."

A spokesperson for the mayor of London said: "It's deeply concerning that rough sleeping is on the rise across the country, with the cost-of-living crisis pushing more people on to the streets.

"The mayor is doing everything he can to tackle rough sleeping in London. Since becoming mayor, he's quadrupled the rough sleeping budget and City Hall services have helped over 15,500 people off the streets, with the vast majority not seen sleeping rough again.

"We need much more national action from the government and better joined-up working between departments if we're to end rough sleeping in London."

A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesperson said: "Rough sleeping remains well below pre-pandemic levels, both nationally and in London, which reflects the progress made during the pandemic, but we know there is more to do.

"That's why we have committed £2bn to support our work to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. This includes the Rough Sleeping Initiative 2022-25, which is providing up to £500m over three years, enabling councils to deliver local, tailored rough-sleeping services to give those in need the best chance of a safe and sustainable life off the streets."

Additional reporting by Thomas McGill and Levi Jouavel.

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