Ending rough sleeping must be political priority

26 Feb 2026 01:04 PM

Homeless Link responds to the 2025 annual rough sleeping snapshot

On 26 February, the Government published its annual Rough sleeping snapshot in England: autumn 2025, which provides information about the estimated number of people sleeping rough on a single night between 1 October and 30 November.

Key findings include:

• 4,793 people were estimated to be sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2025. This is a record high and a 3% increase on the total for 2024 (4,667).
• The figure is well over two and half times (171%) the number of people estimated to have been sleeping rough in 2010 when records began (1,768) and has surpassed the previous highest total of 4,751 in 2017.
• London recorded the largest number of people estimated to be sleeping rough at 1,277 or 27% of the national total, followed by the South East at 797 or 17% of the total.
• The North East saw the largest regional percentage increase at 31% and the North West saw the largest numerical increase, rising by 74 people.

Also published were the Statutory homelessness in England: July to September 2025 statistics, which showed that the number of households in temporary accommodation on 30 September 2025 were at record levels.

Rick Henderson, CEO at Homeless Link, the national membership body for frontline homelessness services, said:

“The record high number of people forced to sleep rough on our streets is devastating. Every night, thousands of lives are irrevocably damaged, let down by the systems meant to support them and exposed to trauma and declining health and wellbeing – whether it be a young person leaving care, a woman fleeing domestic abuse or a person struggling with mental ill health.

“There can be no question that ending this atrocious situation must be a political and social priority. With the National Plan to End Homelessness in place, including specific national targets on rough sleeping, urgent action is needed to ensure this plan achieves change.

“The current system is nearing collapse, as the underfunding and decommissioning of services in the face of acute need has left people in crisis with nowhere to turn. It is now vital that local councils use their new funding to secure the provision of the homelessness support services that offer a lifeline to people experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping, from day services to emergency accommodation and supported housing."

"By ensuring effective support is in place to meet the full spectrum of people’s needs alongside starting the shift to prevention, government can turn the tide on street homelessness.”