'Deeply troubling' number of Wales homeless who died last year - report

“DEEPLY troubling” number of people who were homeless in Wales died last year, new data has revealed.

- ELLIE GOSLEY Reporter [e-mail]

An investigation carried out by leading homelessness organisation the Museum of Homelessness found that 1,611 people experiencing homelessness in the UK died in 2024, an average of four deaths per day.

This figure is a 9% rise on the previous year, something the charity says is “devastating.” The number of deaths in Wales was 90, down from 97 the year before.

Leading Welsh homelessness and rough sleeping charity The Wallich described the figures as “shattering”.

The Wallich interim CEO Sian Aldridge said: “While it's reassuring to see a drop in the number of deaths of people while homeless in Wales to 90, it’s still 90 too many.”

The area of Wales to see the highest number of deaths was Cardiff, where 23 people died while homeless in 2024.

This was followed by Bridgend with 11 and Swansea with 10.

There has been a “spike” in deaths in Bridgend, with two deaths recorded the year prior.

The investigation found the average life expectancy of someone sleeping rough in the UK is 45 for a man and 43 for a woman, a figure The Wallich says has not changed since the 1990s.

According to the Museum of Homelessness, the majority of deaths are linked to suicide or drugs, with spice and nitazenes becoming increasingly deadly.