Rough sleeping in London ‘nowhere near on track’ to end by 2030

The number of rough sleepers living on London’s streets has continued to soar, official figures show, as homelessness charities warned efforts to end rough sleeping by the end of the decade are “nowhere near on track”.

The mayor of London-funded Combined Homelessness and Information Network (Chain) statistics revealed a 26% annual rise in the number of people living on the streets long-term in the English capital between April and June 2025, up to 788 people. That increase was also 12% higher than in January and March this year.

Overall, the number of people frontline outreach workers spotted on London’s streets over the three-month period rose 4% to 4,392. 

Emma Haddad, chief executive of St Mungo’s, said: “Not only were more people rough sleeping for the first time this spring, but the number of people living on London’s streets jumped by over a quarter – a startling rise compared to the same period last year. We should all be deeply concerned by these figures.  

“A safe, decent and affordable home is the foundation of a healthy life. It is a tragedy that anyone should lose theirs due to a sudden job loss or soaring rent rises. Yet increasingly, our outreach teams are meeting people experiencing homelessness for the first time.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan recently set out his plan to deliver his target of ending rough sleeping in London by 2030. However, Khan told Big Issue earlier this that he doesn’t expect to see a rough sleeping start to fall across the city until at least 2026.

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “Despite more than a decade of austerity and an alarming national rise in homelessness, unprecedented City Hall investment has helped 18,000 people off the streets in London, with more than three quarters of those supported to stay off the streets long term.

“Our record £10 million funding earlier this year – more than any other single investment by a London mayor – is creating a new Ending Homelessness Hub and expanding the mayor’s Homes off the Streets programme. The mayor will continue to take the lead in tackling rough sleeping – working closely with the government, London Councils and the homelessness sector to build a safer, fairer London for everyone.”

More than 2,000 people were spotted sleeping rough for the first time in London between April and June, comprising just under half of all those counted.

Read more:

• Rough sleeping a ‘source of national shame’, government told
• Covid effectively ended rough sleeping with the Everyone In scheme. So where did it all go wrong?
• London mayor Sadiq Khan: ‘What would I do if I saw someone stealing nappies? Take my wallet out and pay’

Just under three quarters – 1,446 people – spent just one night sleeping rough while 472 people – around 23% – went to sleep rough for several nights but did not go on to live on the streets. A total of 96 people – around 5% – went on to live on the streets long-term.

Jo Carter, CEO of Glass Door Homeless Charity, said: “It’s been more than a year since the mayor of London pledged to eliminate rough sleeping in London by 2030. What the latest figures show beyond all doubt is that we are nowhere near on track to meet this target, and things are going in completely the wrong direction.  

“The goal of eliminating rough sleeping is the right one, and it should be absolutely achievable. But we’ve got to face up to reality: nobody should have to sleep on the street, but more and more people are finding themselves with no other choice. Homelessness of all kinds is at record levels, and it will continue to get worse until the government starts treating the situation like the emergency it is.

“There have been some promising signs both from the mayor and national government, but the only way that they will achieve a meaningful impact is through drastic action to tackle the affordability of housing.”

The most recent quarterly Chain figures follow the annual London count released in June.

That showed 13,321 people slept rough in London between April 2024 and March 2025 – the highest yearly total on record.

Khan’s rough sleeping action plan focuses on prevention with a new network of Ending Homelessness Hubs and a new phoneline to prevent rough sleeping.

Meanwhile, Labour is also promising to put prevention at the heart of plans to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, backed with almost £1 billion of funding.

A cross-government strategy to end homelessness across England is set to be published later this year.

That will have to contend with several factors driving people on to the streets.

Crisis said rising rents, real-terms cuts to housing benefit and significant gaps in support services as well as a chronic shortage of social and affordable housing is behind rising homelessness in London and beyond.   

Matt Downie, chief executive at Crisis, said: “We were pleased that the mayor of London’s plan for tackling rough sleeping included housing as a solution. However, far too many people are still being forced to sleep rough across Britain.  

“Homelessness should not exist in our society. It can and must be prevented as a matter of national priority.” 

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more.