On 28 November 2024, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government released the latest Statutory Homelessness statistics for April to June 2024. They showed:
General statistics
- 83,240 households were assessed as owed a duty to prevent or relieve homelessness, a 9% increase from the same period last year
- 37,250 households were assessed as being threatened with homelessness, and therefore owed a prevention duty which is up 3% from the same quarter last year.
- This includes 7,040 households threatened with homelessness due to service of a Section 21 notice to end an Assured Shorthold Tenancy – 3% more than in the same quarter last year and the highest quarterly total since the Homelessness Reduction Act was introduced
- 45,980 households were accepted as already homeless and owed a relief duty, 14% more than in April to June 2023.
- On 30 June 2024, 123,100 households were in temporary accommodation, which is an increase of 16% from 30 June 2023, and the highest number on record.
Leaving institutions
- 6,560 households who were owed a relief duty by their local authority were homeless when discharged or evicted from an institution . This is a 116% increase on the same period last year and includes:
- 1,980 households leaving custody homeless, 24% increase on last year
- 250 households being discharged from psychiatric hospital homeless, a 14% increase on last year
- 3,840 households being evicted from Home Office asylum accommodation homeless, a 309% increase on last year
Rick Henderson, CEO at Homeless Link, the membership body for homelessness services, said:
“It is unacceptable that so many people in our society do not have a safe place to call home. Homelessness devastates lives and communities. Every individual mentioned in these shocking statistics is a personal tragedy and needs urgent support.
“In the longer term we are heartened that the Government intends to prioritise the cross-government strategy to address homelessness and rough sleeping, alongside fixing the deep flaws within the current homelessness funding system over the longer term. These statistics show it is clear that prevention must be a central element of the strategy and will require a change in focus on the way support is delivered. But we cannot ignore the immediate needs of people who are experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping or stuck in temporary accommodation right now.
“All forms of homelessness are increasing but the Government has still not provided any detail or certainty around the funding settlements for homelessness services for the next financial year. Without this, services will imminentlyhave to make the difficult decision to close their doors or down-scale, leaving thousands of vulnerable people who are not entitled to temporary accommodation without vital support lifelines and at risk of returning to the streets. Government must act urgently to provide the clarity so desperately needed”
