It’s feared there are thirteen times more hidden homeless people in London than those visibly sleeping rough.
Each night, up to 12,500 people are forced to to sleep on public transport, squatting or sofa surfing, according to a report published by the London Assembly.
The report adds that young people are most likely to be affected, especially those who identify as LGBT, as well as those who have experienced domestic violence and abuse. It estimated that 225,000 young people in London have stayed in an unsafe place because they had nowhere safe to call home.
People sleeping on the streets of our city are just the tip of an iceberg
The hidden homeless have no place to call home, but are hidden from official statistics, and aren’t receiving support. One in 10 people in London experiencing hidden homelessness in any one year.
Only one in five aged 16-24 seek help from the council. Those that do present often fail to be recognised as vulnerable, despite being in danger.
This report follows a recent claim by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan that, for the first time since 2009, there has not been a significant rise in rough sleeping in London.