Accredited official statistics

English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025: homelessness, hidden households and temporary accommodation - fact sheet

Published 9 July 2026

Applies to England

Introduction

The English Housing Survey (EHS) is a national survey of people’s housing circumstances and the condition and energy efficiency of housing in England. It is one of the longest standing government surveys and was first run in 1967. This fact sheet uses data from the 2024-25 EHS to explore different experiences of housing insecurity.

This fact sheet

Homelessness and housing insecurity take a range of forms. Alongside statutory homelessness and temporary accommodation, it also includes less visible situations such as sofa surfing, where people stay with friends or family because they have no other accommodation available, and concealed households, where one or more adults live as a part of another household and would prefer to rent or buy their own home but cannot afford to do so.

The first section of this fact sheet examines households that reported experiencing homelessness in the last few years, including whether they contacted their local council and differences by household characteristics. The second section captures sofa surfing and looks at households that hosted someone homeless in the past 12 months. The third section focuses on households living in temporary or emergency accommodation provided by the council, including housing quality and well-being outcomes. The final section explores concealed households, including the characteristics of households containing additional adults who are unable to access independent accommodation.

For some tables in this fact sheet, two years of the EHS full household sample have been combined to provide sample sizes large enough for analysis. Analysis that uses two years of the full household sample are noted in the text and tables where applicable.

1. Homelessness

In the English Housing Survey, respondents were asked if they had experienced homelessness in the past few years, defined broadly to include staying in hostels, temporary accommodation, or with friends and family due to losing their home or having no accommodation to go to.

Over 2023-25 (two-year analysis), 600,000 respondents (around 2%) reported experiencing homelessness in the past few years. This was similar to 2021-23 and 2020-22, (cited in English Housing Survey reports, private rented sector 2021-22 and rented sector 2022-23), Annex Table 1.1.

600,000 households reported experiencing homelessness in the past few years.

Tenure, two-year analysis

Overall, around one in ten (9%) social renters reported experiencing homelessness in the past few years, a higher proportion than private renters (4%) and owner occupiers (less than 1%).

The proportion of those experiencing homelessness has remained consistent across all tenures since 2021-23 and 2020-22 analyses, Annex Table 1.1.

Private renters were significantly less likely to have experienced homelessness (4%) in the last few years compared to social renters (9%). The proportion of private renters experiencing homelessness remained consistent between 2022-23 (4%) and 2021-22 (5%). The proportion of social renters experiencing homelessness remained consistent between 2022-23 (8%) and 2021-22 (9%), (cited in previous English Housing Survey reports, rented sector 2022-23 and private rented sector 2021-22).

Region, two-year analysis

At the regional level, there was no significant difference between London (3%) and the rest of England (2%) in terms of the proportion of those who experienced homelessness in the last few years, Annex Table 1.1.

In London, owner occupiers (less than 1%) were significantly less likely to have experienced homelessness in the last few years compared to both private (4%) and social renters (7%). There was no significant difference observed between Local Authority and Housing Association tenants in terms of the proportion who experienced homelessness in the last few years.

Fewer social renters in London (7%) experienced homelessness in the last few years, compared to social renters in the rest of England (9%).

Household type, two-year analysis

Of those who experienced homelessness in the last few years, 34% were single person households aged under 60. This household type was less common among those who had not experienced homelessness (15%). Additionally, 23% of those who experienced homelessness in the last few years were lone parents with dependent children, compared to 6% of those who had not experienced homelessness. Just over one tenth (13%) of those who experienced homelessness were couples with dependent children, compared to 19% of those who had not experienced homelessness. A further 13% of those who experienced homelessness were single person households aged 60 or over, compared to 19% of those who had not experienced homelessness), Annex Table 1.2.

Long-term illness or disability, two-year analysis

Of those who reported experiencing homelessness in the last few years, 61% had a household member with a long-term illness or disability, compared to 36% of those who had not experienced homelessness in the last few years, Annex Table 1.2.

Housing support, two-year analysis

Households who had experienced homelessness in the last few years were more likely to receive housing support compared to those who had not experienced homelessness in the last few years (71%, and 40% respectively), Annex Table 1.2.

Households of people who experienced homelessness were more likely to be lone‑parent households, include someone with a long‑term illness or disability, and receive housing‑related benefits.

Wellbeing, two-year analysis

In the EHS, personal well-being is measured using the standard four ONS wellbeing questions. For each of these questions, Household Reference Persons (HRPs) are asked to give their answers on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 is ‘not at all’ and 10 is ‘completely’. This report uses the mean of the composite index score (mean out of 40).

The wellbeing composite index score (mean out of 40) is calculated by summing the responses from four questions, all scored on a scale from 0 to 10.

• Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?
• Overall, to what extent do you feel that the things you do in your life are worthwhile?
• Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday?
• On a scale where 0 is ‘not at all anxious’ and 10 is ‘completely anxious’, overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday?

HRPs who experienced homelessness in the last few years had a lower average well-being score (26) than those who had not experienced homelessness (30), Annex Table 1.3.

Contacting the council, two-year analysis

Of those who experienced homelessness in the last few years, 80% contacted the council when homeless or about to be homeless. Of those who did not, 32% said they did not think they would be eligible, 11% did not know the council offered help for homelessness, and 10% did not know how to contact the council. Most (39%) did not contact the council for other reasons, Annex Table 1.4 and 1.5.

2. Sofa surfers

Overall, 605,000 (2%) HRPs reported they had hosted someone homeless in the past 12 months, Annex Table 2.1.

Gender of homeless person hosted, two-year analysis

Households who hosted someone homeless in the past 12 months were more likely to have hosted someone male (57%) than female (43%), Annex Table 2.2.

Age of homeless person hosted, two-year analysis

Households were most likely to have hosted a homeless person between the age of 25 to 34 years (32%) or 35 to 54 years (32%) followed by those aged 16 to 24 (21%), 8% were between 55 to 64, 4% were aged 65 or over, and 3% were aged 16 or under, Annex Table 2.2.

Around 605,000 households reported hosting someone who was homeless in the last 12 months. Among those who hosted someone homeless, the person hosted was more likely to be male (57%), and most commonly aged 25 to 54 years (64%).

 3. Temporary accommodation

Temporary or emergency accommodation is referred to in the EHS as short-term housing provided by local housing authorities to those who are unintentionally homeless. This accommodation is intended to be a temporary arrangement while a more permanent solution is found. It can include a range of properties, from local authority owned dwellings or those in the private rented sector, to less traditional accommodation, such as hotels, B&Bs, hostels, and refuges.

Not all of these dwelling types are surveyed as part of the EHS.

Region, two-year analysis

As in previous years, households in the rented sectors (both private and social) whose landlord was a local authority, housing association, another organisation, or an individual private landlord were asked whether they were currently living in temporary or emergency accommodation offered by the council. Overall, 2% of renters (182,000 households) in England (including London) were living in temporary or emergency accommodation (temporary: 2% and emergency: less than 1%), Annex Table 3.1.

There were regional differences in the proportion of renters living in temporary or emergency accommodation. A higher proportion of renters in London (75,000 households, 4%) reported they were living in temporary accommodation, compared to the rest of England (74,000 households, 1%).

Renters in London were more likely to report living in temporary accommodation than emergency accommodation (75,000 households, 4% vs. 5,000 households, less than 1%, respectively).

A similar pattern was observed in the rest of England, where a higher proportion of renters lived in temporary accommodation (74,000 households, 1%) than in emergency accommodation (27,000 households, less than 1%).

Housing quality, two-year analysis

For a dwelling to be considered ‘decent’ under the Decent Homes Standard it must:

• meet the statutory minimum standard for housing (the Housing Health and Safety System (HHSRS) since April 2006), homes which contain a Category 1 hazard under the HHSRS are considered non-decent
• be in a reasonable state of repair
• have reasonably modern facilities and services
• provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort

The Decent Homes Standard (DHS) was introduced as a regulatory standard in the social rented sector in 2006. In the owner occupied and private rented sector, the DHS is not a regulatory standard, though it is tracked through the EHS.  Regulatory standards in the private rented sector are assessed against the existing Housing Health and Rating System (HHSRS), i.e. Criterion A of the DHS.

Among those living in temporary or emergency accommodation, 24% (43,000 households) were in non-decent homes, Annex Table 3.2. In addition, 11% of those living in temporary or emergency accommodation were in homes that were unsafe, as they had a Category 1 Hazard and did not pass Criterion A of the DHS (19,000 households).

Problems with damp

In the English Housing Survey, a home is considered to have damp, or a problem with damp, if the surveyor records damp which is significant enough to be taken into consideration when making their HHSRS assessments. Therefore, minor issues of damp are not recorded.

Of those renters in temporary or emergency accommodation, 87% did not have a problem with damp, whereas 13% had a problem with damp in one or more rooms (155,000 households and 24,000, respectively).

Comparison with other renters

Apparent differences between the quality of homes for those who live in temporary or emergency accommodation, and other renters are statistically insignificant, Annex Table 3.2. The sample size of temporary and emergency accommodation properties in the EHS is relatively small, and as a result, we cannot be confident that the apparent differences between temporary and emergency accommodation and other homes are real.

Demographic characteristics, two-year analysis

Household type

Those living in temporary or emergency accommodation were most likely to be a single person aged 60 and under (32%), followed by lone parents with dependent children^{[footnote 1]} (27%), or couples with dependent children (18%), Annex Table 3.3.

Disability/illness

More than half of renters living in temporary or emergency accommodation (56%) reported having at least one household member with a long-term illness or disability, compared with 45% of renters not living in this type of accommodation.

Housing support

Around three-quarters (76%) of renters in temporary or emergency accommodation reported receiving housing support, compared with 43% of renters not living in this type of accommodation.

Wellbeing, two-years analysis

Households living in temporary or emergency accommodation offered by the council had a lower average well-being score (24) than those not living in such accommodation (28), Annex Table 3.4.

Those in temporary or emergency accommodation were more likely to have a household member with a long‑term illness or disability, receive housing‑related benefits, and had lower average well‑being scores.

4. Concealed Households

This section examines characteristics of households that contain at least one additional adult who would prefer to buy or rent elsewhere but cannot afford to. We refer to these as ‘concealed households’. The demographic characteristics referenced are the characteristics of the Household Reference Person (HRP). The HRP is the person whose name the accommodation is owned or rented under. The HRP will not be in the concealed household.

Concealed households, 2012-13, 2015-16, 2018-19, 2024-25

Overall, around 1.6 million households (6%) in 2024-25 contained at least one additional adult who would prefer to buy or rent their own accommodation but cannot afford to do so, Annex Table 4.1. This is consistent with pre-Covid figures.

A similar pattern emerged in 2018-19, 2015-16, and 2012-13, where between 6% and 7% of households had at least one concealed adult (cited in English Housing Survey reports: sofa surfing and concealed households fact sheet 2018-19, future homeowners report 2015-16).

Concealed households by demographics and bedrooms available to households, 2024-25

Household type

Other multi-person households (34%) were most likely to report having an adult who would prefer to buy or rent their own accommodation but could not afford to do so, followed by couples aged 60 and under with no dependent children (9%) and lone parents with dependent children (8%), Annex Table 4.2.

Related to this, a higher proportion of other multi-person households reported containing a concealed household than couples with dependent children (34%, 625,000 households and 4%, 203,000 households, respectively).

Compared to couples with dependent children, couples aged under 60 with no dependent children were roughly twice as likely to report having a concealed household in their home (9%, 369,000 households vs. 4%, 203,000 households).

Couples aged under 60 with no dependent children were also more likely to report a concealed household than couples aged 60 or over with no dependent children (9%, 369,000 households vs. 6%, 251,000 households).

Additional adults were more likely to want to buy their own accommodation rather than rent elsewhere across all household types (4%, 1.1 million households vs. 2%, 527,000 households).

Other multi-person households were more likely to report that the additional adult wanted to buy their own accommodation rather than rent elsewhere (23% and 11%, respectively). A similar pattern appears for:

• Couples aged under 60 with no dependent children (6% and 3%, respectively)
• Couples with dependent children (3% and 2%, respectively)
• Couples aged 60 or over with no dependent children (5% and 2%, respectively)

Housing support

Overall, of those receiving housing support, 6% were households that included a concealed household, while of those not receiving housing support, 7% were households that included a concealed household, Annex Table 4.2.

Among households not receiving housing support, 4% had an additional adult who wanted to buy their own accommodation but could not afford to, compared with 3% who wanted to rent elsewhere.

Households not receiving housing support were more likely to have an additional adult who wanted to buy than those receiving housing support (4% vs. 2%).

Tenure

Social renters were more likely to contain an additional adult (8%), compared to owner occupiers (6%) and private renters (5%).

Within the social rented sector, the additional adult was equally likely to want to buy or rent their own accommodation (both 4%). A similar pattern was observed among private renters, where 3% of additional adults wanted to buy, and 2% wanted to rent. However, among owner occupiers with an additional adult, the adult was more likely to want to buy than rent (5% of households vs. 2%).

Region

Overall, a higher proportion of households in London contained a concealed household (8%), compared with households in the rest of England (6%).

Among households in London, 5% reported the additional adult wanted to buy their own accommodation but could not afford to, while 3% said the adult wanted to rent elsewhere.

Similarly, households in the rest of England were also more likely to report that the additional adult wanted to buy rather than rent their own accommodation (4%, 862,000 households vs. 2%, 415,000 households, respectively).

Income

Overall, as household income rose, so did the proportion of households including a concealed household, increasing from 1% in the lowest income quintile to 12% in the highest.

Of those households in the highest income quintile, a higher proportion (9%, 443,000 households) reported that the additional adult wanted to buy their accommodation rather than rent (3%, 165,000 households).

Among those in the highest income quintile, the 9% of households that contained  a concealed household that wanted to buy was higher than the proportion in households in the two lowest income quintiles (lowest quintile, less than 1%, second quintile, 2%). A similar pattern was observed among households where the additional adult wanted to rent elsewhere (highest quintile, 3% compared to lowest quintile, less than 1% and second quintile, 2%).

Bedrooms

Compared to households with one bedroom (less than 1%), a higher proportion of those with two bedrooms (4%) and three or more bedrooms (9%) said they had a concealed household.

Relatedly, households with three or more bedrooms were more likely to report that the additional adult wanted to buy their own accommodation but could not yet afford to do so (6%) than want to rent elsewhere (3% of households).

Occupancy type

Tenants sharing (some unrelated) (23%) were the most likely to report having a concealed household, followed by families (including extended families) (16%) and then households with lodger(s) paying rent who are part of the household (13%).

A higher proportion of households with lodger(s) paying rent who are part of the household said they had at least one adult who could not afford to buy or rent elsewhere, compared to households with lodger(s) paying rent who are not part of the household (13% vs. 3%).

Related to this, tenants sharing (some unrelated) (23%) and families (including extended families) (16%) were more likely to contain an adult unable to afford to buy or rent elsewhere than households with lodger(s) paying rent who are not part of the household (3%).

Families (including extended families) were more likely to report that the additional adult wanted to buy their accommodation rather than rent their own accommodation (11% vs. 5%).

Characteristics of additional adults who cannot afford to rent or buy, 2024-25

This section examines adults who would prefer to rent or buy their own accommodation but cannot afford to do so, with a focus on their age, gender, and employment status. In general, adults who cannot afford to buy or rent elsewhere tended to be younger, more often male, and mostly commonly worked 30 hours per week or more. 

Age

Most adults who could not afford to buy or rent elsewhere were in the youngest age group (aged 16 to 34: 88%); while only 9% were aged 35 to 49 and 2% were aged 50 and over, Annex Table 4.3.

Gender

In 2024-25, adults who could not afford to buy or rent elsewhere were more likely to be male (55%) than female (45%).

Employment status

Of adults who could not afford to buy or rent elsewhere, 61% said they worked 30 hours per week or more, while 14% said they worked less than 30 hours per week, and 9% were full-time students.

Concealed households tended to be younger, more often male, commonly worked 30 hours per week or more and were more likely to want to buy (4%) rather than rent (2%) their own accommodation but could not afford to.

Technical notes

Further details on the English Housing Survey methodology and glossary of terms can be found in the Technical Notes and glossary.

Underlying data for this report are published as Annex Tables.

If you have any queries about this report, would like any further information or have suggestions for analyses you would like to see included in future EHS reports, please contact ehs@communities.gov.uk.

1. Children refer to households that include at least one dependent child. ↩