New data released today (30 April 2025) by the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) which covers January to March 2025 has shown an increase in rough sleeping. In total, 4427 people were recorded as rough sleeping in London between January to March 2025. This is an increase of 8% on the same period last year.
The data also shows that during this period:
- 2085 people were rough sleeping for the first time, a 2% increase on the same figure this time last year.
- 1714 people were intermittently rough sleeping, 5% higher than the same period last year
- 706 people deemed to be living on the streets, 38% higher than the same figure this time last year.
- 1673 had a mental health support need, 50% of the total number of people rough sleeping
Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, Emma Haddad, said:
“We should all be very concerned that 706 people were deemed to be living on London’s streets in winter 2025 – a jump of 38% compared to the same period last year. This is truly shocking and symptomatic not only of the housing crisis but also a rising public health emergency. People affected by a job loss or relationship breakdown are increasingly being driven onto the streets, without sanitation, security and support.
Many stretched services are seeing a revolving door of people with health needs either caused or exacerbated by homelessness: anxiety, depression, substance use, and frailty are just some of the conditions we’re seeing with greater prevalence and severity compared to the general population. The longer these needs go unaddressed, the harder it becomes for people to move on from homelessness.
Our frontline teams are working round the clock to get people into emergency housing and then supporting them to survive and thrive in their own accommodation. Affordable housing is just one part of a much broader solution; we also need to see a homelessness and healthcare system working in tandem, so that more people are empowered to leave homelessness behind them and fewer people fall back into it.
We anticipate the launch of an ambitious homelessness strategy from the government and hope that will help us address these dual emergencies and end homelessness for good.”
