These stories show it is possible to end homelessness

THE NUMBER of people faced with the harsh reality of homelessness continues to rise.

- Hannah Faulkner

In the capital, the number of rough sleepers on the streets has increased by 10% over the past year - while over the past decade, the number of people rough sleeping in London has increased by 63%.

And across the UK, we are also seeing an increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness.

Between April and June 2024, the number of households assessed as homeless rose by 13.8% compared with the same period in the previous year. These statistics show the scale of homelessness across society and the devastating impact it has on people's lives.

At the sharpest end of this crisis is rough sleeping, which our frontline teams see day in, day out; it can be lonely and life-threatening, with the threat of violence, abuse and illness constantly around the corner.

The longer somebody spends sleeping rough, the harder it can be to access support. We also know that the longer a person spends living on the streets, the worse their mental and physical health becomes.

But it is not just life chances that are reduced - life expectancy is, too. It is so damaging that men who are sleeping rough can expect to live to 45, while for women, it's just 43.