Rough sleeping in England: autumn 2013
Annual statistical release evaluating the extent of rough sleeping.
Applies to England
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Details
This statistical release, now classified as an official statistic (having previously been an ‘experimental official statistic’, was published on 25 February 2014.
This is the fourth annual statistical release following the introduction of revised guidance on evaluating the extent of rough sleeping in September 2010.
Rough sleeping counts and estimates are single night snapshots of the number of people sleeping rough in local authority areas. Local authorities decide whether to carry out a count or an estimate based upon their assessment of whether the local rough sleeping problem justifies counting.
The main points from this release are:
- the autumn 2013 total of rough sleeping counts and estimates in England was 2,414
- this is up 105 (5%) from the autumn 2012 total of 2,309 and 37% from 1,768 in 2010 when the first equivalent count took place
- London had 543 rough sleepers, which accounted for 22% of the national figure
- this is the first year the number of rough sleepers in London has decreased (by 3%), however the number of rough sleepers in the rest of England has increased by 7%
The release also includes a breakdown by nationality of rough sleepers in London in 2012 to 2013, as recorded on the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) database by London-based homeless charity Broadway.