New data released this week (30 June 2026) by the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) shows a modest decrease in rough sleeping in London in 2025-26.
In total, 12,938 people were recorded as rough sleeping in London during the last year. This is a decrease of 2% from 2024/25, but 60% higher overall than the total of 8,108 people seen rough sleeping ten years ago, in 2016/17.
The data also shows that during this period:
- This is only the third time in a decade that rough sleeping numbers have decreased from the previous reporting year.
- There was a 5% increase in the number of people who were seen rough sleeping for two or more consecutive years, from 3,028 to 3,184.
- The proportions of people seen rough sleeping with a mental health need increased in 2025/26, with 52% recorded as having a mental health support need, compared to 48% in 2024/25.
Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, Emma Haddad, said: “We will always welcome any decrease in rough sleeping across the capital. This is a step in the right direction, and any reduction marks fewer people facing the terrible prospect of sleeping on the streets of London. We hope that decreases like these can be a consistent trend, and across the sector, we can continue to build on this progress.
A 2% reduction is promising, but we must also acknowledge the scale of the challenge ahead. Last year, over 12,000 people were recorded as sleeping on the streets of the capital. This is the second highest number on record since reporting began, and 60% higher than the number of people counted a decade ago.
St Mungo’s teams are out on the streets every day, working tirelessly to meet people when they are most vulnerable and have nowhere else to turn. We know that the longer someone spends on the street, the more their health needs will increase and the more serious is the risk to their life. Our teams support thousands of people every night, from those contending with freezing temperatures in the winter months, to people trapped in record breaking heatwaves and forced to sleep on a hot concrete pavement.
At St Mungo’s, we are working alongside the GLA, local authorities and partner organisations across the capital to be there for people before they reach these crisis points. We hope that London’s efforts to reduce rough sleeping will now be backed up by further action and sustained investment as part of the government’s National Plan to End Homelessness so that we can achieve the Mayor of London’s promise to end homelessness on the city’s streets by 2030.”
