“Horrifying, but not a surprise”: our statement on latest stats

This morning, two notable pieces of data on homelessness were released – one from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on statutory homelessness in England, and one from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) on rough sleeping in London. 

Here are some of the key figures: 

• Between October and December 2024, 83,800 households in England approached their council for homelessness support and were recognised as being owed support because of either experiencing or being threatened with homelessness. 

• On 31st December 2024, 127,890 households in England were in temporary accommodation, an increase of 13.6% compared to one year earlier. 

• Between January and March 2025, outreach teams recorded 4427 people sleeping rough in London, an 8% increase compared to the same period last year. Of these, 2085 were sleeping rough for the first time, a 2% increase on last year. 

Here is what Jo Carter, CEO of Glass Door Homeless Charity, had to say: 

“The latest figures are horrifying, but they are not a surprise. Every winter, we run the UK’s largest network of emergency night shelters, and this past season was the busiest we’ve ever seen. Every night, we meet more and more people who have nowhere else to turn. The need is growing faster than we can possibly keep up with, and the reasons are painfully clear, there is simply not enough social housing, the benefits system is broken, private rents are skyrocketing and tenants can be thrown out of their homes too easily. 

In our twenty-five years of working on the frontline, we have never seen things this bad. It should shake us all to our core. 

There are some glimmers of hope, like the Government moving forward with the Renters’ Rights Bill, but at the same time, policies like freezing housing benefits and tightening access to disability support will only push more people closer to homelessness. 

We know what needs to change. We need urgent action now, boosting benefits so that people can actually afford to keep a roof over their heads. And we need a long-term commitment to investment in social housing that gives people access to affordable homes.  

Yes, these changes would cost money. But the cost of inaction, the human cost, is far greater.

If we are truly serious about ending homelessness, we have to be brave enough to rethink our priorities. We have to be willing to invest in people’s futures, not just patch over the cracks. 

Homelessness is not just about numbers, it's about people. People without somewhere safe to sleep, without a place to call home, without the security and dignity that a home brings. That human reality must never get lost in the statistics.”