Rough Sleeping Snapshot Estimates 2025

Since autumn 2010, all local authorities have been required to submit an annual snapshot figure to MHCLG to indicate the number of people sleeping rough in their area on a ‘typical’ night between 1st October and 30th November.

Local authority leads and snapshot estimate coordinators should follow this guidance to plan and execute their annual rough sleeping snapshot estimate and have its quality assured by Homeless Link ready for online submission of this data to MHCLG by Friday 5th December, 2025 at the latest.

Please note: there are some changes to the quality assurance process (formerly verification) for 2025. This especially applies to count-based estimate where the quality assurance process will now be carried out remotely.

The changes to the quality assurance process are set out in the relevant sections below and information will be provided in the weekly project updates.

This toolkit webpage provides a full explanation of everything local authorities need to know to successfully carry out a rough sleeping snapshot estimate, including video explainers and helpful documents.

You can also ask questions, check your understanding of the new quality assurance process for count-based estimates, and explore any other element of the rough sleeping snapshot estimates at the Q&A Sessions for Local Authorities.

The sessions run between late August and early November 2025, and full information and booking links will be sent out with the weekly project updates.

If you are new to the rough sleeping snapshot estimates, the process can seem daunting. To help local authorities, partner agencies, independent partners and other volunteers get a simple overview of the rough sleeping snapshot estimates and what they entail, Homeless Link have created a 7-minute briefing.

Where local authorities have merged, the snapshot estimate should be carried out within the new local authority boundaries and one set of snapshot and demographic information submitted. For support choosing which process is most appropriate within new boundaries, please contact us.

Note that for operational ease count-based estimates should have one base of operations. If multiple bases are unavoidable, please contact Homeless Link at the earliest opportunity, as multiple independent partners may be required.

Homeless Link’s role is to:

• Publish a toolkit that supports local authorities to produce the most accurate snapshot using one of the three approaches
• Provide support to local authorities in planning and carrying out the data collection. This includes additional support and in-person quality assurance for any local authorities whose previous rough sleeping snapshot estimate is RAG rated Amber or Red (see section on Quality Assurance below for more information).
• Ensure rough sleeping snapshot meet the required quality assurance standards
• Provide training and support to Quality Assurance Verifiers
• Cross-check the data submitted by local authorities to MHCLG with the numbers Homeless Link has verified for each local authority (the single figure of people sleeping rough and demographic information)

Local authorities should appoint a lead person to oversee the process and liaise with Homeless Link’s Rough Sleeping Snapshot Project Coordinator for support and to arrange quality assurance via email.

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The rough sleeping snapshot collects demographic data on the numbers of women, men, under-18s, under-25s, over-25s, and UK and non-UK nationals represented among people sleeping rough. It is the responsibility of local authorities to submit aggregate data to MHCLG on the DELTA online system, alongside their final figure for the snapshot estimate. MHCLG will publish the data.

All local authorities in England are required to submit this information to central government, as outlined in the Single Data List

Where demographic information is not known (for example, because someone was asleep when seen), this should be noted for each category as ‘not known’. The demographic data is collected as an indication of the representation of particular groups among people who are sleeping rough. There is no requirement for people sleeping rough to share their information for the purpose of these statistics, as ‘not known’ can be used instead.

The ‘not known’ category should also be used if individuals do not want to provide demographic information. You should not guess or make an assumption about demographics but instead use the ‘not known’ category.

Neither Homeless Link nor MHCLG hold any case level data collected during the snapshot estimates, only aggregate data.

Click here for further guidance on data sharing. Back to top.

Each local authority chooses the process that best meets its local context. While Homeless Link cannot tell local authorities which process to use, as part of our initial contact and quality assurance process we will ask why the choice has been made and provide feedback to local authorities where we have concerns that the proposed approach might not produce the most accurate snapshot.

If evidence comes to light that the chosen process has missed out individuals or sleep sites known to the local authority or included people who are not within the rough sleeping definition, the Quality Assurance Verifier will not be able to rate the local authority’s figure as ‘fully assured’.

Please note that all local authorities, including RSI funded areas, can choose from any of these approaches.

A count-based estimate is the number of people seen sleeping rough in the local authority area on a ‘typical’ night – a single date chosen by the local authority between 1st October and 30th November. It is a snapshot and will not record everyone in the area with a history of rough sleeping during the two months.  As part of the revised quality assurance process for count-based estimates, all local authorities wishing to follow this approach much meet with their designated Quality Assurance Verifier before their typical night to discuss the local context.

An evidence-based estimate is an evidence-based assessment by partners, leading to a single snapshot figure that represents the number of people thought to be sleeping rough in the local authority area on a ‘typical night’ – a single date chosen by the local authority between 1st October and 30th November. It is a snapshot and will not include everyone in the area with a history of rough sleeping during the two months.

An evidence-based estimate including a spotlight count is as above, with the evidence sources including a street count, which might not be as extensive as the count-based estimate. All spotlight counts must take place after midnight.

You can also watch a video on choosing your approach.

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Any decision to change the overall approach from one year to the next should be guided by whether it will produce the most accurate and robust figure. Homeless Link will ask for details of this decision-making in our initial contact and during the quality assurance process to seek confirmation that the change meets the criteria set out in this guidance (above).

Note that undertaking a count at other times of year is not in itself sufficient reason to change between evidence-based and count-based estimates. Counts taken at other points of the year may not be a guide to levels of rough sleeping in October/November as there may be seasonal fluctuations in the level and patterns of rough sleeping. The existence of hidden rough sleeping sites should also be considered when deciding on your choice of approach.

Local authorities can adjust aspects of the process from year to year to achieve greater accuracy, for example:

• Choosing the ‘typical’ night earlier (e.g. October) to reduce the risk of severe weather.
• Changing night of the week in response to a busier night time economy.
• Starting a street count later (e.g. 2am instead of midnight) in response to a busier night time economy.
• Involving new partners and/or people with lived experience to improve evidence base/engagement.
• Changing approach to take into account a significant change in the local context, such as boundary changes.

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Plans for count-based snapshot estimates may need to be reviewed due to unforeseen circumstances, for example an unexpected extreme weather event or protests.

Where a planned count-based estimate cannot go ahead and is changed to an evidence-based estimate or evidence-based estimate including a spotlight count, the local authority lead or count coordinator must email us to inform the Rough Sleeping Snapshot Project Coordinator.

A Homeless Link Quality Assurance Verifier will attend the estimate meeting. They may also carry out further quality assurance checks including speaking to independent partners and other partner agencies.

This further quality assurance process must be completed and reviewed by the Homeless Link Rough Sleeping Snapshot Project Coordinator for a local authority’s snapshot estimate returns to have met the quality assurance requirements following a change of approach.