On 31 October, the CHAIN (Combined Homelessness and Information Network) homelessness database published its report detailing levels of rough sleeping in London between July and September 2025. CHAIN is the UK’s most detailed and comprehensive rough sleeping database.
Key findings include:
- 4,711 people were recorded as sleeping rough in the capital in July to September, a decrease of 1% on the same period last year.
- 2,116 people were recorded as sleeping rough for the first time in Q2, 10% lower than the same time last year.
- The number of people classed as living on the streets was 759, 11% higher than the same time last year and 4% lower than April-June 2025.
Fiona Colley, Director of Social Change at Homeless Link, the national membership body for frontline homelessness services, said:
“No-one should be exposed to the danger and trauma of rough sleeping. While it's positive to see a slight decrease in the number first-time rough sleepers, the overall number of people sleeping on our streets is still unacceptably high.”
“The upcoming Homelessness Strategy is a vital opportunity to address this challenge at a national level.”
“Government needs to embrace a twin approach that breaks the cycle of rising homelessness. We need an emergency response to levels of homelessness and rough sleeping which remain extremely high by historic standards, and to start building a system equipped to create a country free from homelessness.”
“Delivery of both these long and short-term goals requires immediate support for the proven solutions that can prevent and end homelessness, such as specialist supported housing and Housing First schemes. Right now, financial pressures mean we are losing bedspaces just when we need them most.”
“The best solution to rough sleeping is to stop it happening in the first place. That’s true for the people who sit behind today’s statistics, but prevention is also the most cost-effective solution for government. Preventing homelessness is everyone’s job: that’s why we need true cross-departmental accountability and responsibility on prevention to be baked into the new Homelessness Strategy.”
“The will and expertise to reduce rough sleeping is there amongst the frontline homelessness services working in communities all over the country. They will do everything they can to tackle this problem. But services will be much better equipped to support and end homelessness if they are fully empowered by an effective, properly resourced and truly cross-government Homelessness Strategy.”
The full CHAIN report is available on the London Datastore website.
