Rough sleeping continues to climb: our statement

The latest figures from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) show that between October and December 2025, 4841 people were seen sleeping rough in London by outreach workers. This is a 5% increase compared to the same period one year earlier, and is the highest number of people sleeping rough in London ever recorded over a three-month period.

Jo Carter, CEO of Glass Door Homeless Charity, had the following to say: 

“Anyone who was in London towards the end of last year will remember the freezing cold temperatures, wind and rain. It is an appalling fact that thousands of people were forced to sleep rough during this time. 

We run London’s largest network of emergency winter night shelters, and when the weather is especially bad we boost our capacity so that as many people as possible can stay safe and warm. But the need for shelter has been so great that we were forced to temporarily close registrations for men for most of December, and then again last week. 

The number of those rough sleeping and facing homelessness continues to climb, and it is nothing less than shameful that those in power are failing to take the necessary steps to address this crisis and human tragedy. The government’s recent national homelessness strategy included some positive elements, but we are at a point where much bolder thinking and action are needed to meet the scale of the problem.”