UK homeless deaths up 9% in a year, including 11 children

THE East Midlands saw one of the highest rises in deaths among homeless people, amid a national increase of nine per cent in a year, including 11 children, according to a group monitoring the issue.

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The Museum of Homelessness said its research suggested at least 1,611 deaths in 2024 of people experiencing homelessness.

This was up from 1,474 deaths in 2023 and 1,313 deaths in 2022.

The biggest rises were in the East Midlands, said the researchers, as well as the South West and the East of England.

The Museum of Homelessness has been running the Dying Homeless Project since 2019 and gathers its data each year through freedom of information requests, coroner inquests and memorials submitted by bereaved family members.

While rough sleeping is most associated with homelessness, living in temporary accommodation such as bed and breakfasts, hostels or other short-term housing organised by a local authority is also a form of homelessness.

According to research by the Museum of Homelessness there were 11 children - those aged younger than 18 - included in the data for last year, of which four were babies who had not yet reached their first birthday.

Four others were aged between one and nine-years-old, and two children were aged between 15 and 17, while another's age was unknown.