Women and hidden homelessness in London – Women's Month 2026

Anna, our Migrant Project and Advocacy Manager, writes about the intersection of hidden homelessness and women’s experiences, and why it matters. 

When people think about homelessness, the image that often comes to mind is someone sleeping rough on the streets. While rough sleeping is the most visible form of homelessness, it represents only a small part of the problem.  

Women experience homelessness differently from men, and safety concerns play a major role. Sleeping visibly on the streets exposes women to high risks of violence, harassment, and exploitation. Instead, women are far more likely to experience ‘hidden homelessness’ — living in insecure, temporary, or unsafe situations that keep them out of official statistics and often out of reach of support services. 

Barriers to support 

Many services are designed around visible rough sleeping, creating significant barriers for women experiencing hidden homelessness. Some services require individuals to be ‘verified’ as rough sleepers - seen ‘bedded-down’ at a single time and place - which can exclude women who are moving frequently to stay safe. Outreach teams often rely on people being in one place for extended periods, making it much harder to identify and support those who are actively hidden.  

What the London Women’s Rough Sleeping Census shows 

The London Women’s Rough Sleeping Census exposes how many women are overlooked in official homelessness statistics. In the 2024 Census, 371 women were identified as sleeping rough in London, compared with just 186 women recorded in the Government’s official rough sleeping snapshot for the same year. Traditional counting methods captured only a fraction of the women experiencing rough sleeping.  

The Census highlighted hidden sleeping locations that standard counts often overlook – buses and trains, hospital waiting rooms, squats, abandoned buildings, and temporary arrangements with strangers. By applying a gender-informed approach to data collection methodologies significantly more women are identified. It suggests that women’s homelessness has long been underestimated and that better data, improved outreach, and services designed around women’s experiences are essential to resolving their homelessness. 

Hidden homelessness beyond rough sleeping 

Homelessness is not just about sleeping on the street. Across London, tens of thousands of households live in temporary accommodation arranged by Local Authorities, and women make up a disproportionate number of these adults. In London, 58% of homeless households stay in temporary accommodation for two years or more, far longer than in other regions of England.  

Long-term temporary accommodation, overcrowding, informal arrangements; they are all part of the hidden homelessness crisis defined by long-term housing insecurity and prolonged periods of instability and lack of safety.  

Why recognising hidden homelessness matters 

Women’s homelessness in London is often hidden, complex, and underestimated. The London Women’s Rough Sleeping Census demonstrates that traditional methods of counting those experiencing street homelessness miss a significant number of women, leaving many without the support and protection they need.  

Hidden homelessness extends far beyond the streets, encompassing long-term temporary accommodation, overcrowded homes, and unsafe living arrangements — all of which disproportionately affect women. 

Addressing this crisis requires gender-informed approaches: better data, targeted outreach, and services designed to meet women’s unique needs. Only by recognising and responding to the full scope of women’s homelessness can we ensure that women are seen and supported.