Homelessness statistics
Legal Definition of Homelessness
According to the 1996 Housing Act, a person or persons are defined as homeless if:
- there is no accommodation that they are entitled to occupy
- they have accommodation but it is not reasonable for them to continue to occupy this accommodation
- they have accommodation but cannot secure entry to it
- they have accommodation but It consists of a moveable structure, vehicle or vessel designed or adapted for human habitation and there is no place where they are entitled or permitted both to place it and to reside in it
Anyone meeting this definition and who has successfully applied to their local authority to be classified as such is officially recognised as being homeless.
In 2005 163,000 households in England were officially recognised as homeless (Source: Statutory Homelessness England, Statistical Releases).
In 2004/5 40,000 households were officially recognised as homeless in Scotland (Source: Statistical Bulletins on Housing, Scottish Executive).
In 2004 16,000 households were officially recognised as homeless in Wales (Source: Housing Statistics, National Assembly for Wales)
Statutory Homelessness
People referred to as statutory homeless are those who are accepted by local authorities as being officially homeless, and who are deemed to have priority need. The priority need groups include households with dependent children or a pregnant woman and people who are vulnerable in some way for example because of mental illness or physical disability.
In 2002 an Order made under the 1996 Act extended the priority need categories to include: applicants aged 16 or 17; applicants aged 18 to 20 who were previously in care; applicants vulnerable as a result of time spent in care, in custody, or in HM Forces, and applicants vulnerable as a result of having to flee their home because of violence or the threat of violence.
Local authorities will have a duty to accommodate these groups, as long as they also have a local connection and have not made themselves intentionally homeless.
At the end of 2005, there were 110,000 families placed in temporary accommodation by local authorities. However, recent figures show that during January to March 2006, the 46,500 decisions made by local authorities on homeless applications reflected a 23% reduction in comparison to the same period in the previous year.
Source: Department of Communities and Local Government
Hidden Homelessness
In addition to those people recognised as statutory homeless there are also a large group of homeless single adults, or couples without dependant children, who meet the legal definition of homelessness but not the criteria for priority need. This group is often referred to as hidden homeless. It tends to be much more difficult to generate accurate figures about how many people in the UK fall into this group, since many of them will not apply for official recognition, knowing that they do not meet the criteria of priority need.
People falling into the hidden homeless category include:
- rough sleepers
- people living in bed & breakfast or other temporary accommodation because they have no other option
- people living in hostels, night shelters, or refuges
- people due for discharge from institutions (e.g. prison, hospital) who have no accommodation to go to
- people who are squatting because they have no other option
- people who are at risk of eviction
- people who are living in severe overcrowding
- people who are staying with friends or family because they have no other option, and who are living in overcrowded conditions or where the owner or renter of the accommodation is dissatisfied with the arrangement
Crisis estimates that there are around 400,000 people falling into the "hidden homeless" category in the UK at any given time.
Source: How many, how much? Single homelessness and the question of numbers and cost. A report for Crisis by Peter Kenway and Guy Palmer from the New Policy Institute.
Rough Sleepers
Rough sleepers include those people sleeping, or bedded down, in the open air (such as on the streets, or in doorways, parks or bus shelters), and people in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (such as barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats, or stations). Rough sleeping is currently at its lowest recorded level. The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) estimate that at June 2006, there were 502 people sleeping rough in England on any single night, which reflects a 73% reduction since 1998.
Further Information
The following websites are good sources of information and statistics about homelessness in the UK.
Broadway - Rough Sleeping Information
Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) - Tackling Homelessness
Homeless Link - Policy & Information