Unique website showing services for homeless people across London is updated for 2025 by London Housing Foundation (LHF) in partnership with Homeless Link.
LHF’s Atlas was launched seven years ago. On average over 300 people visit the site each month.
The Atlas is an interactive website that allows people to view service information and statistics across London, in a specific borough or at a multi-borough level. Commissioners, policy makers and others working in the homelessness sector use the website to quickly access information about available services and view the latest statistics on rough sleeping. The Atlas provides a unique overview of the volume and composition of homelessness services in London for people with experience of, or at risk of, sleeping rough.
The latest version which is launched today includes updates for all 33 local authority areas in London with data provided by most Local Authorities and homelessness service providers across the capital.
Today we launch a new feature for the Atlas – a map of young people’s accommodation services. The Atlas previously focussed on services targeted at those at risk or experiencing rough sleeping. Young people’s accommodation serves a wider group of people aged 16-25, including care leavers, asylum seekers and those who have experienced rough sleeping. This network of accommodation is vital in preventing rough sleeping for groups who are at increased risk.
Also new since the previous refresh is a dedicated map showing London’s winter shelter network. This visualisation is designed to highlight the work of this unique group of services, making the data more prominent and easier to view.
Exclusive data launched in the new Atlas today shows:
- There are over 10,000 spaces in hostels and supported housing in London’s homelessness sector. This accommodation is the main way people who have experienced rough sleeping are able to move off the streets.
- In addition, our new data about young people’s accommodation identified 2,002 spaces across 106 services. Data was provided by 25 boroughs.
- There are now 28 Housing First projects accommodating and providing intensive support to almost 601 people who face some of the most significant barriers to moving on from homelessness – this type of service provision is increasing year-on-year but remains small compared to traditional accommodation services.
- There are 3,900 social rented homes across London, specifically allocated to former rough sleepers though the Clearing House service and Tenancy Sustainment Teams. An additional 1,100 people are provided with support from Tenancy Sustainment Teams as part of the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme.
- There were 512 spaces provided in Winter Shelter’s across London over the winter season (some remain open at the time of the launch while others have closed for the year). This is a slight increase compared to winter 2023/24. After the shift to single room provision during the pandemic the picture is far more mixed with an increase in communal sleeping provision in shelters.
Ian Brady, LHF Executive Chair said: “The Atlas highlights the services that operate 365 days a year to support the increasing number of people sleeping rough on London’s streets from outreach teams to assessment services to onward tenancy support. Each year we seek to improve and develop the information provided with input from local authorities and service providers. The Atlas remains the sole source of several key datasets including information about homelessness accommodation, Housing First and Tenancy Sustainment teams.”
Rick Henderson, Chief Executive of Homeless Link, commented: “The number of people forced to sleep rough on London’s streets remains shockingly high. The Atlas is an essential tool for commissioners, policy makers and homelessness workers, mapping the services available and enabling them to identify any gaps so that people experiencing homelessness can access the support they need to recover and move on.”
Becky Rice, Project Manager, added: “Each year we seek to improve and develop the information provided with input from local authorities and service providers. We would like to extend our thanks to all those providing information, including colleagues working in young people’s services or commissioning who are new to supporting the Atlas. The Atlas remains the sole source of several key datasets including information about homelessness accommodation, Housing First and Tenancy Sustainment teams.”
To access the Atlas, go to www.lhfatlas.org.uk. See our regular Atlas blogs here https://lhf.org.uk/atlas-blog/