The National Council of YMCAs responds to latest rough sleeping figures for England.
New Government figures released today show that:
- 4,751 rough sleepers were counted in Autumn 2017 (up 15% on 2016)
- 8% (373) of these were under 25 years old
- The number of rough sleepers is up 269% since 2010 (1,768 rough sleepers counted in Autumn 2010).
Denise Hatton, Chief Executive for YMCA England & Wales, said:
“The rise in those rough sleeping is by no means a surprise for professionals working in the sector. For years we have warned that rough sleeping is a crisis in the making. We know from working with 18,000 people experiencing homelessness each year that the official numbers are just the tip of the iceberg and that there are many more people who have no other choice but to sleep rough on streets across the country.
“We hope at some point these shocking figures will be the wake up call government needs to realise that rough sleeping is a national crisis it can no longer ignore and that we urgently need practical support to help end it.”
Find out more about YMCA’s accommodation work, and our partnership with the Mayor of London to end rough sleeping in London.