The homelessness crisis in England has shown a significant increase over the past year.
Local authorities are now struggling to cope with the increasing demand and financial pressures, according to a report by Anadolu Agency.
According to the ‘Homelessness Monitor England 2025’ report by the charity Crisis in the United Kingdom (UK), the number of people sleeping rough rose by 20% to 4,667 people last year, almost double the low during the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than half of those sleeping rough in London are now non-UK citizens, reflecting an increase in protection applications and efforts to deal with the backlog of cases.
In 2024, 330,000 households were assessed by local councils, the authorities responsible for public services, as homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
The report shows an increase of 4% in one year and 21% in three years.
Homelessness in London is rising faster, with a 7% increase among those at risk and a 27% increase among those already homeless.
The study found that the significant increase in homelessness was due to evictions from Home Office-run shelters, which rose by 37%, and individuals leaving institutions such as prisons or hospitals, which rose by 22%.
The effectiveness of the system in dealing with homelessness is reported to be declining, with the percentage of cases successfully placed falling from 47% in 2021 to 39% in 2024.
