Types of homelessness
Rough sleeping is the most visible form of homelessness but there are a wide range of situations that are also described as homelessness.
Understanding each type of homelessness leads to better support and a better view of homelessness as a whole. Building a picture of the number of people who are homeless is complicated. This is due to the different ways each type is counted and the limitations of each approach.
6.1. Rough sleeping
Rough sleeping is the most visible and dangerous form of homelessness. The longer someone experiences rough sleeping the more likely they are to face challenges around trauma, mental health, and drug misuse.
According to the Annual snapshot count figures published on 29 February 2024
At a national level:
3,898 people were found to be sleeping rough, up by 27% (829 people) on the previous year. This is a 120% increase above the level in 2010 when the current annual snapshot count methodology was first introduced.
The rate of people sleeping rough on a single night in England in 2023 is 6.8 people per 100,000. This has increased since 2022 (5.4 per 100,000) though remains lower than the peak in 2017 (8.5 per 100,000).
Most people sleeping rough in England are male, aged over 26 years old and from the UK. This is similar to previous years. However, rough sleeping is rising among women with 568 seen to be rough sleeping in 2023, up from 464 in 2023, a rise of 22%. Most people sleeping rough were from the UK, similar to previous years. In 2023, 62% were from the UK, 18% were EU nationals and 9% were from outside the EU and the UK. 11% were recorded as ‘not known’.
6.2. Statutory homelessness
In 2022/2023, 298,430 households were accepted as being owed a duty from their local authority because they were either homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless.
For 24,260 people, the main reason they needed support to try to prevent their homelessness was due to them being issued a Section 21 eviction notice by their landlord. This means they had to leave the property due to no fault of their own. (Statutory Homelessness in England 22-23, DLUHC)
As defined by the homelessness legislation, Local Authorities have a duty to make one suitable offer of settled accommodation to those who meet the tests of homelessness and are therefore owed the main housing duty.
6.3. In Temporary Accommodation
At the end of September 2023, there were over 109,000 families and individuals in England who were staying in temporary accommodation provided by their local council because they were homeless, (sources: DLUHC.). Note that the length of time people can stay in temporary accommodation can range from a single night to many years.
6.4. Hidden homelessness
Although everyone is eligible to receive information, advice, and guidance on housing & homelessness from Local Authorities, not all are eligible for support under homelessness duties or provided emergency accommodation. Additionally, there are also many people who do not approach their councils for help. Many people who experience homelessness are hidden from statistics and services as they are dealing with their situation informally. This means staying with family and friends, sofa surfing, or living in unsuitable housing such as squats or in ‘beds in shed’ situations. Crisis undertakes an annual study (the Homelessness Monitor) which attempts to highlight the overall number of homeless households in England.
All these situations leave the person extremely vulnerable, and many have to sleep rough at some time.
Crisis Skylight a leading homelessness charity estimates that homelessness is experienced by 227,000 households in Great Britain on any single night. These figures try and show the scale of all forms of homelessness and includes an estimate of people who are not accessing services or recorded in official government data.
6.5. At risk of homelessness due to insecure accommodation
Some people are more at risk of being pushed into homelessness than others. People in low-paid jobs, living in poverty, and poor quality or insecure housing are more likely to experience homelessness and insecure accommodation.