The number of people who died while homeless rose to 1,474 last year
The number of people who died while homeless rose to 1,474 last year, representing a 12.2% increase compared to 2022.
Research conducted by the Museum of Homelessness as part of its Dying Homeless Project revealed that London recorded the highest number of homeless deaths in 2023, at 309.
The Dying Homeless Project was initiated by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in 2017, and taken over by the MoH in 2019. The project aims to document and remember every person who dies whilst homeless in the United Kingdom. The figures include those sleeping rough, living in emergency or temporary accommodation, living in short-term supported housing and those sofa surfing or squatting.
The North East recorded 51 homeless deaths, resulting in it having the second highest rate of reported homeless deaths when adjusted for population size.
Homeless deaths in Yorkshire and Humber also increased last year, to around 100 deaths.
Data from the ministry of housing, communities and local government published on 3 October revealed that the number of homeless households is at a record high, exceeding 320,000 between 2023 and 2024 and representing an 8% increase from the previous year.
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Deprived coastal towns such as Dover, Great Yarmouth, Blackpool and Skegness had a higher average rate of homeless deaths, with 2.6 deaths per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in other areas.
Relatively high rates of deaths were reported in Newcastle, Cardiff and Newport.
Nearly half (47%) of known causes of death were ‘deaths of despair,’ related to drugs, alcohol, and suicide.
For example, the investigation revealed a 59% rise in homeless deaths in Cardiff, with 58% of those classified as ‘deaths of despair’.
Furthermore, the deaths of people sleeping rough has increased by 42% compared to a 27% rise in the number of people sleeping rough.
The MoH said that the increase is likely due to the reduction in ‘off the streets’ accommodation and in particular the widespread closure of winter shelters since the start of the covid-19 pandemic. It stressed that “More provision is needed to save lives”.
The MoH’s investigation also found that 13 homeless people were murdered in 2023. Despite the relatively low number of recorded deaths, the investigation analysed data from 2022 and 2023, indicating that individuals experiencing homelessness were between 2.0 and 5.2 times more likely to be murdered compared to those who were housed.
The report stated that 39 people experiencing homelessness died by suicide last year, referring to the situation as “a tragedy that should trigger urgent action”. Of the 39 total suicides, 18 (47%) were of people under 35 years old which represents a 20% increase compared with our investigation’s findings in 2022.
Co-director at the MoH, Matt Turtle, said: “The systems of care for people living with poverty and homelessness is in tatters after 15 years of cuts and corruption. This could not be laid out more starkly than in these findings.
“As yet the new government has not set out plans to mitigate the damage caused by the last government. Our analysis indicates things are set to get much grimmer, unless the government acts now to save lives.”
The MoH will be hosting a national vigil to remember those who died while homeless in 2023 tomorrow, outside Downing Street.
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