Rough sleeping in London has risen by a fifth, according to new data

The number of people sleeping rough in London has risen by more than a fifth, new data from the Greater London Authority (GLA) has revealed.

According to the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) report there has been an increase from 8,329 people seen sleeping rough in 2021-22 to 10,053 in 2022-23.

The figures also showed a sharp rise in the number of people sleeping rough for the first time, up 26% on last year to 6,391.

Homelessness charity St Mungo’s said it is “a tragic reflection of the impact of the cost of living crisis and the severe lack of affordable housing”. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan described the figures as “extremely alarming”.

The report was released in the week when Lambeth was named as one of six areas around the UK where Prince William’s Homewards project aims to end homelessness.

CHAIN Annual Report on rough sleeping in London

Commissioned and funded by the GLA, the report reveals that 2,084 people had been seen rough sleeping for at least two consecutive years.

After more than a year without sleeping rough, 1,578 people returned to the streets. The number of people in this situation increased by almost a third (31%) from 1,205 the previous year.

Emma Haddad, CEO of St Mungo’s, said: "The shrinking supply of affordable homes in the private rented sector, and the chronic undersupply of social housing, means people are struggling to find and keep somewhere to live."

She said that without "immediate intervention, the number of people sleeping rough will continue to rise".

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan

Sadiq Khan said: “Today’s figures show that we need much more support from the central government, and better co-operation between departments if we’re to end rough sleeping in London.

“I’ll continue to urge ministers to get a grip on the cost of living crisis and restore the social security safety net which stops people becoming trapped in a cycle of homelessness.

“They must also invest in new council and genuinely affordable homes and restore London Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile of market rents. Ministers should also give me the power to introduce a system of rent controls that work for London.”

‘End rough sleeping’

In September the government made a manifesto commitment to end rough sleeping by the end of this Parliament.

Matt Downie, the chief executive of the homelessness charity Crisis, said: “At this rate, there’s frankly no hope that they will hit their target.”

A spokeswoman for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: "We are giving councils £2bn over three years, to help them tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, targeted to areas where it is needed most.”

Prince William’s Homewards project in Lambeth

The figures have been released just a day after Prince William launched his campaign to end homelessness with his new Homewards project.

The project is a five-year, locally led programme across six locations in the UK, aiming to create new partnerships between councils, businesses, charities and individuals.

Lambeth is one of the areas that will receive £500,000 to support the delivery of an action plan to end rough sleeping in the area.

Prince William said: “Through Homewards, I want to make this a reality and over the next five years, give people across the UK hope that homelessness can be prevented when we collaborate. It’s a big task, but I firmly believe that by working together it is possible to make  homelessness rare, brief, and unrepeated and I am very much looking forward to  working with our six locations to make our ambition a reality.”