MPs launch inquiry on rough sleeping

Also addressing MPs on Tuesday are representatives from organisations such as Shelter, Centrepoint and Homeless Link as well as authorities including the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.

Official figures show that there were 3,898 people sleeping rough in England on a single night in autumn 2023, up from 3,069 in autumn 2022 and 1,768 in 2010.

Florence Eshalomi, chair of the HCLG committee, said: “There are currently shocking levels of rough sleeping on our streets and very real concerns that worse is to come this winter.

“In our rough-sleeping evidence session next week, and in our follow-up questions to the minister next year, we want to explore the barriers experienced by those sleeping rough when trying to access the support they need to help them off the streets.

“We also want to examine potential solutions and the most effective ways to tackle rough sleeping.”

In the Autumn Budget, chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £233m to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.

Last month Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, hosted a roundtable to discuss rough sleeping in the capital alongside Rushanara Ali, minister for homelessness, as well as councils and housing associations.

Mr Khan announced £4.8m for a new initiative called Homes off the Streets, which will provide 3,500 supported move-on homes for former rough sleepers. It expands on Clearing House, an earlier programme, with funding coming from the mayor’s £36.3m rough-sleeping budget.

Speaking to Inside Housing at the event, Mr Khan said funding would be set aside for the scheme for the duration of his mayoral term.

According to the Combined Homelessness and Information Network, 4,780 people were recorded as sleeping rough in London from July to September 2024, an increase of 18% on the same period last year.