Homelessness
Key findings
8,100
people were recorded as sleeping rough at least once on London's streets in 2016/2017. This is the same level as last year - but three times higher than a decade ago.
39%
of homeless families that the council has a duty to house became homeless as a result of the end of a private tenancy.
Overview
This set of indicators cover Londoners sleeping rough and homeless families that local councils have a duty to house. Both kinds of homelessness reflect the lack of affordable housing in London. The problem is bigger than the numbers here: ‘hidden homelessness’ such as squatting, sofa-surfing, and ‘beds in sheds’ is by its nature difficult to estimate.
There were 8,100 people recorded as sleeping rough in 2016/2017, which is double the 2010/2011 figure. 75% of rough sleepers were in Inner London, with nearly a third of them in Westminster (32%).
The number of homelessness acceptances dropped from the previous year, the first decline since 2009/10. These figures reflect statutory homelessness – those who the local authority has determined are legally entitled to assistance – and different local authorities interpretations of this measure varies significantly. More than 1 in 3 homeless households were placed by the local authority in temporary accommodation outside their home borough. This represents 19,700 households.
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From our Twitter
@povertylondon
This interactive table compares Poverty Child Poverty Inequality Homelessness Temporary Accommodation Evictions Affordability Unemployment Low Pay Benefits Council Tax Support GCSE attainment Infant Mortality Premature Mortality in each London borough. https://www.trustforlondon.org.uk/data/boroughs/overview-of-london-boroughs/ … pic.twitter.com/EuJJzZz4Tf
23 Aug 2018. @patrickjbutler uses our @PovertyLondon data to highlight that #TowerHamlets has the highest level of child poverty in #London (43%) as a surge of wealthy incomers are skewing deprivation figures. As a London council leader says the reality of poverty is still very much present https://twitter.com/patrickjbutler/status/1177481438985240577 …
27 Sep 2019Official figures suggest that the proportion of households in work has risen, however in-work poverty remains a growing issue. Our @PovertyLondon data shows that that there are 450,000 more Londoners in working families in poverty compared to 10 years ago http://bit.ly/2ZBVYRr
30 Aug 2019A new report says that elderly people living in the UK suffer some of the highest levels of poverty in western Europe. Our @PovertyLondon data shows that 19% of London’s pensioners live below the poverty line, higher than anywhere else in England (14%) http://bit.ly/2P6l76w
20 Aug 2019Our @PovertyLondon Profile data shows that 37% of London’s children live below the poverty line. We all want to live in a society where families are able to make ends meet but the school holidays can be a particularly tricky time https://bit.ly/314GG8L
1 Aug 2019