UK government data released yesterday highlighted the severity of England’s housing and homelessness crisis with over 127,000 households now trapped in temporary accommodation, while thousands are forced to sleep rough in the capital.

​The new figures on statutory homelessness in England from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government show that on 31 December 2024:

• The number of households forced to live in temporary accommodation was at record levels, with 127,890 households stuck in this form of accommodation at the end of last year. This is a 14% rise on last year (112,610).
• There are now 165,510 children living in temporary accommodation in England.
• The number of households in the most unsuitable forms of emergency accommodation - including nightly paid B&Bs and hostels – has increased by 29% to 66,340.

In addition, new data released from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) shows the number of people considered to be “living on the streets” of London reached record levels from January to March 2025, rising 38% from the same period last year (511) to 706 people.

The data also shows:

• 4,427 people slept on the streets of London from January to March 2025, an increase of 8% on the same period last year (4,118).
• The number of people sleeping rough for the first time in London rose to 2,085 in the same period, up 2% from the same period in 2024 (2,038).

Homelessness charity Crisis is calling on the Westminster government to take decisive action through its upcoming strategy to end homelessness in England.

Matt Downie, Crisis chief executive, belives that if we are to truly make progress and start to bring these numbers down, the government must restore housing benefit so it covers the real cost of renting and commit to building social rent homes.

“England’s homelessness system is at breaking point,” he added. “Once again, we are seeing record numbers of households trapped in temporary accommodation while they wait years for a social home or because they simply can’t afford the rental properties in their area.

“In London, thousands are being forced to sleep rough in the capital – with record numbers of people considered to be living on the streets long-term. That so many people have no option but to sleep rough night after night is an appalling testament to the severity of poverty and homelessness in this country.

​“We’re supporting people in the most desperate of situations. This includes people who have been discharged from hospital to the streets following major surgery. We’re also seeing parents whose children are getting ill because of the appalling quality of the accommodation they are in.

“The Westminster Government has a clear opportunity to stop this becoming the norm for generations to come through its upcoming strategy to end homelessness. They must commit to building the social homes we need, restore housing benefit and offer support to prevent homelessness in the first place. Ambition here is crucial – we must turn the tide on poverty and homelessness by giving people the foundation of a safe home.”

Dan Wilson Craw, deputy chief executive of Generation Rent, said: “Behind every statistic are thousands of stories of people facing some of the most stressful, traumatic and insecure times of their lives. More and more children are spending their formative years trapped living in temporary accommodation, often in overcrowded and unsafe conditions and at huge cost to local authorities. This is a national scandal that demands government action.

“Our rental system is broken. With rent prices soaring far beyond what we earn, people become trapped living in temporary accommodation because they simply can’t find somewhere affordable to live.

“The government’s house building programme is welcome, but will take years to have a noticeable impact. People need change now. It must intervene to slam the brakes on soaring rents, while also unfreezing Local Housing Allowance so those on low incomes have more options in finding a home.”