Homelessness in the United Kingdom
All four countries in the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) have segments of the population struggling with housing and homelessness.
- England’s overall homeless population in 2024 was at least 354,000, according to the homelessness charity Shelter.
- Despite 15 years of national government efforts to tackle rough sleeping, an estimated 4,667 people slept rough on England’s streets on a given night in autumn 2024. This count is a 20% increase from 2023 and a 164% increase from the 2010 estimate.
- Rough sleeping is the most visible and dangerous form of homelessness: people bedding down in places not intended for habitation, like parks, cars, or abandoned buildings.
- Relationship breakdown was the most common cause of rough sleeping in 2023/24. The UK government’s plans to end asylum accommodation for asylum seekers by 2029 also account for a growing share of rough sleepers.
- In Scotland’s 2024-25 financial year, 34,067 households were assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness
- According to Homelessness Monitor Wales: 2025 commissioned by charity Crisis, the total number of households experiencing the most severe forms of homelessness is estimated to stand at 12,250 households. Although rates of core homelessness in Wales are lower than in England, they have risen more sharply in Wales than in either England or Scotland.
- In Northern Ireland, 17,000 households were presented as homeless in 2023-24. Of the 29,000 households on the social housing waiting list, 12,000 homeless households have been on the social housing waiting list for more than four years.
Homeless in the United Kingdom: Who Are They?
The United Kingdom (UK) defines homelessness by using three categories:
- Rough sleepers are the most visible and vulnerable people experiencing homelessness. Many rough sleepers face negative health conditions, such as mental health issues or substance use disorders. These factors increase the struggles of an already vulnerable population.
- The hidden homeless are individuals who can live inside and off the streets, but don’t have their own residence. These individuals, known as “sofa surfers,” live with friends or family or in hotels, motels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, and other types of non-permanent housing.
- The statutory homeless are those who are eligible for assistance from their local authority. They are judged to be both unintentionally homeless and to meet criteria of priority need. These individuals or households are generally designated most vulnerable and are able to access specific benefits.
As in the United States, primary causes of people becoming homeless in the United Kingdom are poverty and unemployment combined with high rents and the lack of affordable housing. Various social issues can also lead to homelessness.
People experiencing mental health or substance abuse issues with lack of support or care can wind up experiencing homelessness. Life events, such as domestic violence, the death of a parent or spouse, or the end of a relationship, can also lead to homelessness. Finally, people can become homeless when they leave prison, care, or the army and have no place to live when they return.
