Research and analysis

Support for people sleeping rough in England, March 2023

Published 29 June 2023

Applies to England

1. Main findings

• This information gives a fuller picture of the dynamic and seasonal nature of rough sleeping, and illustrates the work done by local authorities to provide a pathway off the streets and into long-term accommodation. Publishing this data on a quarterly basis, as we committed to in the cross-government strategy Ending Rough Sleeping for Good, is an important step towards driving better outcomes through increased data and transparency.
• This publication covers the period from January to March 2023. The number of people sleeping rough tends to be higher in the summer months when it is warmer and lower in the winter months, reflecting the seasonality of rough sleeping.
• The latest data shows there were 2,447 people estimated to be sleeping rough on a single night in March 2023 – up 342 people or 16% since the previous quarter (December 2022) and up 641 people or 35% since the same period last year.
• The number of people sleeping rough on a single night in March 2023 is lower than the latest autumn rough sleeping snapshot, which took place between October to November 2022 when there were 3,069 people estimated to be sleeping rough on a single night. Both are significantly lower than the autumn 2017 peak, when there were 4,751 people sleeping rough on a single night.
• The rate of people sleeping rough on a single night in March 2023 in England was 4.3 people per 100,000^{[footnote 1]}, compared to 3.7 people per 100,000 in the previous quarter (December 2022) and 3.2 people per 100,000 in the same period last year. The rate of people sleeping rough on a single night was 8.5 people per 100,000 during the peak in autumn 2017.
• 27% of people sleeping rough on a single night in March 2023 were new and had not been seen sleeping rough before. This is similar to the previous quarter (December 2022), and lower than March 2022 when 30% of people sleeping rough on a single night were new and had not been seen sleeping rough before.
• Many areas did not see increases. Rough sleeping on a single night fell or remained the same in over half of all local authorities between December 2022 and March 2023.
• There were 6,292 people estimated to be sleeping rough over the month of March 2023 – up 535 people or 9% since December 2022, and up 1,690 people or 37% since the same period last year. This is 2.6 times higher than the number of people seen sleeping rough on a single night, illustrating that the flow of people onto and off the street over the course of a month is significantly higher than those seen on any given night due to the dynamic nature of rough sleeping.
• Between January and March 2023, an estimated 3,438 people have been moved into medium or long-term accommodation – up 512 people or 17% since the same period last year, reflecting the considerable efforts of local authorities, supported by funding from central Government, to help people to move on from rough sleeping.
• There were 5,779 people estimated to be in off the street accommodation in March 2023 – down 512 people or 8% since December 2022. Off the street accommodation includes any placement for people sleeping rough that is intended to last for 6 months or less. The number of people housed in off the street accommodation tends to be higher in the winter months when the weather is colder.

Date of next publication: It is expected that the June 2023 Support for people sleeping rough in England will be published on 13 October 2023.

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Figure 1: People sleeping rough on a single night and over the course of the month, June 2020 to March 2023

Figure 2: People in off the street accommodation as at the end of each month, and people moving into medium and long-term accommodation each month, June 2020 to March 2023^{[footnote 2]}

Figure 3: Map of people sleeping rough on a single night, March 2023

Figure 4: Map of rate of people sleeping rough on a single night per 100,000 people, March 2023

2. Things you need to know

• The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has been collecting monthly management information from all local authorities in England about the support for people sleeping rough and those at risk of sleeping rough, since May 2020, alongside the annual rough sleeping snapshot statistics. On average, 95% of areas provide a response each month and for those areas that do not provide data, imputed figures based on previous latest management information has been used.
• This publication brings together and summarises previously published management information alongside further information about new people sleeping rough, the total number of people sleeping rough over the course of the month, information about the offer of support for people sleeping rough, information about prison leavers and support under legal homelessness duties.
• This monthly management information provided by local authorities includes a more frequent although less robust estimate of people sleeping rough on a single night, compared to the official rough sleeping snapshot statistics, which are collated by outreach workers, local charities and community groups and are independently verified by Homeless Link.
• The management information also provides an estimate of the number of people sleeping rough over the course of the month in each local authority to better understand the flow of people sleeping rough. This figure is based on casework done by outreach teams and other service providers.
• In September 2022, the government published the cross-government strategy Ending Rough Sleeping for Good, which is supported by the £2 billion investment over 3 years to fund dedicated measures to address the wide range of causes that can lead to rough sleeping. The commitment to publish quarterly data on rough sleeping to monitor progress was outlined in this cross-government strategy.
• The government also announced an investment of up to £500 million in funding through the Rough Sleeping Initiative to local authorities across England, spanning a 3-year period from April 2022 to March 2025. RSI is this Government’s initiative to end rough sleeping and provides a platform for the Government to build on past successes, continuing work with local authorities in our collective aim to protect the most vulnerable in our society. It provides local authorities the resources to offer accommodation, support, and a route off the streets for people sleeping rough all year round.
• The Rough Sleeping Initiative 2022-25 is funding a variety of services from accommodation, Housing First, outreach staff and specialist services in areas such as physical and mental health, supporting prison leavers, training to widen employment opportunities, immigration advice, and access to social and private rented sector housing.

3.  Technical notes

3.1  Definitions

People sleeping rough

People sleeping rough are defined as about to bed down (sitting on/in or standing next to their bedding) or actually bedded down in the open air (such as on the street, in tents, doorways, parks, bus shelters or encampments). People in buildings or other places not designed to for habitation (such as stairwells, barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats, stations or “bashes” which are makeshift shelters often comprised of cardboard boxes). The definition does not include:

• People in hostels or shelters
• People in campsites or other sites used for recreational purposes or organised protest
• Squatters
• Travellers

This is the same definition as is used for the annual rough sleeping snapshot statistics.

Off the street accommodation

Off the street accommodation includes any placement for rough sleepers that is intended to last for 6 months or less and could include:

• Hostels
• Temporary Accommodation placements
• Severe weather emergency protocol placements
• Specific winter provision
• Short term options
• Hotels for respite and assessment
• Other assessment bed settings
• No second night out beds and night beds

Prior to April 2022, information was collected on people in emergency and short term accommodation only. Emergency and short-term accommodation included hotels, B&Bs, LA managed temporary accommodation, student halls and other accommodation that was used to accommodate people sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough through ‘Everyone In’ and which would not otherwise have been available to them. It did not include placements in hostels or supported housing services that were usually available to people sleeping rough, except where such services were used on an exceptional basis for people sleeping rough who were ineligible for homelessness support.

Medium or long-term accommodation

Medium or long-term accommodation includes accommodation that is intended to last for 6 months or more and could include:

• Supported housing pathways
• Accommodation of Supported Housing
• Housing First
• RSAP units
• Social Housing
• Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement within Private Rented Sector

Supported housing pathway

Supported housing is any housing scheme where housing, support and sometimes care services are provided in one package depending on the individual needs of the person. Some of these housing schemes are long-term and are designed for people who will need ongoing support to be able to live independently. Others are short-term, designed to help people develop the emotional and practical skills needed to move into more mainstream housing. Collectively, and where move-on arrangements are included as part of this, these forms of housing can make up a supported housing pathway and people may move between these types of housing and mainstream housing as their needs change.

3.2  Data quality and limitations

This management information provides more timely and more detailed data on rough sleeping and the support for rough sleepers compared to the annual rough sleeping snapshot. The management information is primarily designed to help monitor local authority performance and accountability towards ending rough sleeping.

The information is collected via a regular survey to local authorities, which began in May 2020. All local authorities are required to complete the survey, which includes questions about delivery, rough sleeping, off the street accommodation, long term or repeat rough sleepers and medium or long-term accommodation and reconnections.

Local authorities submit their management information via DLUHC’s DELTA online data collection system. The DELTA online data collection system includes in-built rules and validation checks to ensure the data provided is complete and accurate.

As well as the in-built validations via DELTA, DLUHC analysts also carry out a series of quality assurance checks including checks for outliers and comparing the information with other relevant data sources.

The data is not independently verified. It has been provided by local authorities.

The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) which is the regulatory arm of the UK Statistics Authority completed a review of the very first Support for people sleeping rough publication against the Code of Practice for Statistics. This review considered the value, quality and trustworthiness of these statistics in relation to the Code. The review recommendations are being taken forward.

To assess the quality of new management information, we compared the monthly rough sleeping management information estimates with the 2022 Rough sleeping snapshot data. These two different sources were correlated which provides confidence that local authorities are consistent when estimating the number of people sleeping rough on a single night.

For the monthly rough sleeping snapshot estimate, local authorities are advised to use a snapshot approach which will provide the most robust figure. This should be 1 of the 3 approaches that are used for the official rough sleeping snapshot, which may include a count-based estimate, an evidence-based estimate meeting or an evidence-based estimate meeting including a spotlight count. If no snapshot has been conducted within the month, local authorities should gather their intelligence, data sources and records to establish what a single night figure would be and submit this as their estimate.

Figure 5: Quality Assurance Process flowchart

An outline of the production process and quality assurance carried out prior to the publication of the Support for people sleeping rough in England management information.

Accessible version of flowchart

Start: DLUHC provide guidance to LAs on questions to be included in monthly rough sleeping management survey (end of each month).

1. Rough sleeping monthly management information survey is issued to all LAs in England and GLA via DELTA online data collection system (end of each month).

2. LA submits data to DLUHC using DELTA online data collection system (second week of each month).

3. In-built validation rules and checks ensure the data provided is complete and accurate before submission.

4. DLUHC conducts further validation, sense checks and quality assurance prior to publication

Discuss discrepancies with rough sleeping advisers and LAs if needed prior to publication

End: DLUHC publishes management information (approximately 12 weeks after collection).

3.3   Related statistics

Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN)

The Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) is a multi-agency database recording information about people seen rough sleeping by outreach teams in London. CHAIN is managed by Homeless Link, a London-based homeless charity and is used by organisations working with people sleeping rough in London. Information is recorded onto the CHAIN database by people who work directly with people sleeping rough in London (e.g. workers in outreach teams, day centres, hostels and resettlement teams). CHAIN does not cover ‘hidden homeless’ groups, such as those who are squatting or staying in inaccessible locations to outreach workers.

Hostels and support services

Homeless Link publishes an Annual review of single homelessness support, which includes information about the number of hostels and shelters in England and available bed spaces, as well as the support and services available to single people who become homeless in England.

DLUHC related statistics

The rough sleeping statistics do not provide a definitive number of people or households affected by homelessness in England. The term ‘homelessness’ is much broader than people sleeping rough. It is difficult to provide an accurate estimate of all homelessness across England. Data used to compile any estimate is collated from different datasets, which sample different subsets of the population over different time frames. Any estimate of homelessness in England will collate datasets that are not discrete from one another, which means some individuals may have been included more than once in the estimated total.

Annual rough sleeping snapshot

The DLUHC’s official annual rough sleeping snapshot statistics, provide a way of estimating the number of people sleeping rough across England on a single night in autumn and assess change over time. This is the most robust measure of rough sleeping given they are independently verified and are published in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics. These statistics provide information about the estimated number of people sleeping rough on a single night between 1 October and 30 November each year and some basic demographic details (i.e. age, gender, nationality).

Rough sleeping questionnaire

In December 2020, DLUHC published the initial report on the rough sleeping questionnaire (RSQ), which represents one of the largest survey data collections on people who sleep rough ever attempted in the UK. The report provides insights into the experiences of people who have slept rough, including their support needs and vulnerabilities, experiences of homelessness and use of public services, as well as an estimate of the fiscal cost associated with someone who sleeps rough.

Statutory homelessness

DLUHC also collect and publish quarterly statistics on the broad characteristics and circumstances of households owed a statutory homelessness duty. This includes households who approach the council for help with housing who are sleeping rough. The statutory homelessness statistics includes some but not all of the people provided with accommodation in response to COVID-19 through the ‘Everyone In’ support. Not all individuals assisted through ‘Everyone In’ would have been owed a homelessness duty. Any individual not owed a homelessness duty would not be part of the local authority case level data submission to DLUHC and therefore would not be included in the Statutory Homelessness statistics. People sleeping rough will only be recorded in these statistics if they have made an application that has been accepted by the local authority. There are 3 main groups that are not included in the statutory homelessness statistics that would be included in the management information. These include:

People not eligible for statutory homelessness assistance because they are ‘persons from abroad’ specifically excluded by the legislation.

People sleeping rough who did not engage with the assessment process required to take a homelessness application, or who were not owed a relief duty by the local authority.

People who were provided accommodation via upper tier local authorities, such as Greater London Authority (GLA) who do not have statutory homelessness duties, and do not provide data via the Homelessness Case Level Information Collection (HCLIC) data system.

Hidden homelessness

DLUHC produce other statistical releases that can help build up the wider homelessness picture. For example, the English Housing Survey publishes data on the number of people sofa surfing and concealed households in England, which are additional adults in a household who wanted to rent or buy but could not afford to do so. In addition, the CORE social housing lettings collection publishes data on those moving from homelessness into local authority/ private registered providers accommodation.

Expenditure on homelessness

DLUHC publish statistics on local authority revenue expenditure and financing in England. The RO4 return within the Revenue Outturn suite relates to housing services and includes information on local authorities’ expenditure on homelessness activities.

3.4   Revisions policy

This policy has been developed in accordance with the UK Statistics Authority Code of Practice for statistics and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities revisions policy. There are two types of revisions that the policy covers:

Non-scheduled revisions

Where a substantial error has occurred as a result of the compilation, imputation or dissemination process the statistical release, live tables and other accompanying releases will be updated with a correction notice as soon as is practical.

If a local authority notifies DLUHC of an error in the information they have submitted after publication of the release, a decision on whether to revise will be made based upon the impact of any change and the effect it has on the interpretation of the data.

Scheduled revisions

There are no scheduled revisions for this release.

3.5   User engagement

Users are encouraged to provide feedback on how these statistics are used and how well they meet user needs. Comments on any issues relating to this release are welcomed and encouraged. Please contact roughsleepingstatistics@levellingup.gov.uk if you have any feedback or comments.

See the department’s engagement strategy to meet the needs of statistics users.

4.  Enquiries

Media

Telephone: 0303 444 1209
Email: newsdesk@levellingup.gov.uk

Statistical enquiries

Telephone: 0303 444 2623
Email: roughsleepingstatistics@levellingup.gov.uk

Responsible analysts

Jon White, Sally Frost and Anthony O’Dowd

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Information on Official Statistics is available via the UK Statistics Authority website.

Information about statistics at DLUHC is available via the department’s website.

1. ONS mid-2021 population estimates. ↩

2. Definition changed in April 2022 from Emergency and short-term accommodation to Off the street accommodation - see Definitions for more information. ↩