New research from St Mungo’s and Homeless Link shows that cuts to local authority funding have shrunk spending on homelessness services by 27% between 2008/9 and 2017/18. This has meant a cut of £590 million a year on average.

For single homeless people, the cut is even worse, with a 53% fall in spending in the same period. This is the result of cuts to ‘Supporting People’ services, which are often about helping people to avoid and escape homelessness. In 2017/18 nearly £1 billion less was spent on Supporting People services compared to 2008/9.

At the same time rough sleeping has risen by 165% since 2010.