Record number of people rough sleeping in London, data shows

New data shows that a record number of people are rough sleeping in London.

The figures, published by the Greater London Authority (GLA), showed 4,389 people were seen sleeping on the capital's streets between October and December 2023.

The total represents a 23% increase on the same period in 2022, and an 8% increase on the previous three months.

Homeless charity Shelter said the government "must urgently get to grips with this crisis".

The government said it was "determined to end rough sleeping for good" and had given councils £2bn - including £188.2m for London - to tackle homelessness.

Meanwhile, London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, has said his No Second Night Out Hub scheme, which provides assessment spaces and beds to help people off the streets, would be expanded.

The GLA started collecting quarterly data in January 2014. The latest figures are 116% higher than that first quarter (January to March 2014).

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: "It is unacceptable that we have reached yet another shameful record on rough sleeping in London. A cold doorway or a flimsy tent is no substitute for a proper home."

She said everyone at risk of rough sleeping should be given access to emergency accommodation but to end homelessness for good, all political parties needed "to commit to building 90,000 new social homes every year with rents tied to local incomes".

Homelessness minister Felicity Buchan MP said in December that the government was supporting 13 projects that provide services and emergency accommodation in the capital.

She said the government's Rough Sleeping Strategy would also "continue to work to not just reduce rough sleeping but to end it completely".

Meanwhile, Sadiq Khan said the new No Second Night Out Hub, which will be London's fourth, would open in west London in April.

The mayor said he was "determined to do everything I can to work with boroughs and the voluntary sector to tackle rough sleeping in the capital".

Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Hina Bokhari said the immediate help was "vital".

But, she added: "We need to consider why homelessness numbers and the numbers of those at risk of homelessness have risen so dramatically since 2014."

She pointed to housing supply and said housebuilding needed to be boosted.

Green Party London Assembly Member Sian Berry also welcomed the increased investment from the mayor, saying it was "essential and lifesaving", but City Hall's Conservatives housing spokesman said more could be done.

Lord Bailey of Paddington said: "The number of rough sleepers has increased by 24% in the eight years since Sadiq Khan became mayor.

"The government has provided London with £190m over the next three years to tackle rough sleeping in London. With a £21bn budget, Sadiq Khan could be doing much more to reduce the number of people forced to sleep on our streets."

The government is expected to publish rough sleeping estimates for the whole of England at the end of February.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected]