London experiences a 29% surge in street homelessness
Rising Rough Sleeping in London: A Persistent Crisis
London is grappling with a growing homelessness crisis, as the number of people sleeping rough on the streets has tripled over the past eight years. In 2023, the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) reported a record high of 4,389 people sleeping rough in London between October and December, surpassing the previous year's figures.
John Glenton, the landlord's executive director for care and support, expressed concern about the record high number of people sleeping rough in London between April and June 2023. He believes that a commitment to end rough sleeping, coupled with the right resources and targets, could lead to a significant reduction in the number of people sleeping rough.
Emma Haddad, chief executive of St Mungo's, a leading homelessness charity, attributed the increase to rising rents, unaffordable bills, and the unexpected loss of employment. She highlighted that her organisation's outreach teams are working tirelessly to help people out of homelessness, but find it increasingly difficult to find options.
The rise in rough sleeping is driven by a housing affordability crisis, cuts to support services, and a shortage of social and affordable housing. The figures reported by CHAIN are a record high for a year unaffected by Covid-19.
Mayor Sadiq Khan has pledged to end homelessness by 2030 and has introduced a new Plan of Action aimed at achieving this goal. The plan includes a significant increase in the City Hall budget for rough sleeping, a focus on prevention measures, and the establishment of an Ending Homelessness Hub.
However, progress is not yet sufficient, with some leaders saying efforts are “nowhere near on track.” Outreach workers and charities continue to deliver frontline support, but they face challenges in finding options for the increasing number of people seeking help.
The Greater London Authority (GLA), under Mayor Khan, leads coordinated city-level responses and planning, boosted by substantial funding and policy commitments. The UK Government provides some funding, but homelessness charities are calling for faster delivery of social and affordable housing and stronger prevention measures at all government levels.
In summary, rough sleeping in London continues to rise, signaling the need for intensified and coordinated government and charity efforts. Glenton suggests that resources for ending homelessness should include recruiting more outreach workers, investing in more accommodation, and developing a national housing and homelessness strategy. Sadiq Khan has pledged to end rough sleeping in the capital by 2030, with a condition of working in partnership with a Labour government. The national Audit Office has called on the government to adopt a 'genuinely' cross-departmental approach to addressing homelessness.
- In light of the rising rough sleeping rates, there is a rising call for a comprehensive national housing and homelessness strategy to tackle this crisis.
- The science behind mental health and sleep reveals a significant link between poor mental health and lack of adequate housing, further exacerbating the homelessness issue.
- As politicians debate policy-and-legislation to address the housing affordability crisis, fitness-and-exercise and health-and-wellness advocates stress the importance of maintaining physical and mental well-being for individuals experiencing homelessness.
- In an effort to ensure access to nutrition for those who are homeless, local food banks and non-profit organizations cooperate with the government in implementing relevant health-and-wellness policies.
- With the general-news surrounding the homelessness crisis highlighting the pressing need for affordable housing, committees on policy-and-legislation in Parliament are actively discussing the implications for science, health-and-wellness, mental-health, and fitness-and-exercise in post-pandemic society.
