Deaths among homeless people in the UK have risen by 12% in a year, according to a group monitoring the issue, which has warned of a “national emergency”. The Museum of Homelessness reported that at least 1,474 people died while homeless in the UK in 2023, up from 1,313 deaths recorded in 2022. Within these figures, deaths of people sleeping rough spiked by 42% from 109 to 155 in a year.
The Museum of Homelessness has been running the Dying Homeless Project since 2019 and gathers its data each year through freedom of information requests, coroners inquests, and memorials submitted by bereaved family members. Some local authorities had not responded to Freedom of Information requests, which the museum called “incredibly disappointing”.
In 2023, deaths rose across England (983), Scotland (206) and Wales (97) but decreased in Northern Ireland (188) compared with 2022. The project identified what it described as an “epidemic of ‘deaths of despair'”, with almost half (47%) of deaths where the cause was known involving alcohol, drugs, and suicide. The data suggested that at least 38 people experiencing homelessness in 2023 died by suicide.
Gill Taylor, strategic lead for the project, emphasised the importance of counting, reviewing, and learning from deaths to prevent further loss of life. Project co-director Matt Turtle called for increased support for off-the-streets accommodation, like winter shelters, to tackle the emergency. The project plans to hold a vigil outside Downing Street, alongside other frontline groups helping the homeless, to raise awareness and advocate for action.
A spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government acknowledged the tragic nature of each death and highlighted efforts to address homelessness, including the establishment of a cross-government group to develop a long-term strategy to end homelessness. The statement also mentioned the crucial work done by councils and their partners in tackling rough sleeping through various support services.
The rising number of homeless deaths underscores the urgency for comprehensive solutions to support vulnerable individuals and prevent further loss of life. With a call for increased support and strategies in place to address homelessness, the hope is to see a positive impact in reducing these tragic statistics.