Rough sleeping in England hits 15-year high

Rough sleeping in England has reached its highest level in 15 years, according to government figures released on Thursday.

The UK Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said an estimated 4,793 people were sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2025, exceeding the previous peak of 4,751 in 2017.

This marks the fourth consecutive annual increase, up 3% from 2024, and 171% higher than 2010, when the government first began collecting rough sleeping figures.

The rate of rough sleeping in England rose to 8.2 people per 100,000 population in 2025, up from eight per 100,000 in 2024, though it remains below the 2017 peak of 8.5 per 100,000.

London and the southeast accounted for 43% of those sleeping rough.

In response, the government announced plans to increase funding for two programs aimed at tackling homelessness.

Joanna Elson, chief executive of Independent Age, highlighted the wider housing pressures on older people.

"New figures released today show that 15,690 older households were at risk of homelessness in the year ending September 2025, a number that has increased by 79% in the last five years," she said.

"Some of the older private renters we speak to are struggling to afford their rent, which can lead to eviction, with almost 3 in 5 (57%) saying it increased in the past year," she added.

"An adequate level of Housing Benefit is crucial to ensuring older people in financial hardship have secure and affordable homes. The current situation is unsustainable and puts older renters at risk of homelessness. The UK government must act," she said.