03/11/2026
Glass Door's CEO statement on the latest London rough sleeping figures 👉
The latest CHAIN figures for London should prompt some difficult questions about how we are tackling homelessness in our capital.
Between July and September, 4,678 people were recorded sleeping rough across London. Of these, 2,168 were sleeping rough for the first time, representing almost half of everyone recorded. What is failing in our systems of prevention, support and housing that allows people to reach this point? Alongside this, 819 people were classified as living on the streets, i.e rough sleeping long term, an increase of 152% over the past ten years.
We need to stop measuring success by how many people we get off the streets, and start measuring it by how many people we help into a home and stay there. Getting someone off the streets is an essential first step, but it cannot be where our ambition ends.
At Glass Door Homeless Charity, we are determined to play our part. Later this month, we will open our winter shelters, providing 105 safe places to sleep every night for people who would otherwise face sleeping outside. Alongside warmth, safety and dignity, we will offer practical advice and support to help people address the challenges they face and take steps towards a more secure future.
The Government's rough sleeping programme and its ambition to get everyone off the streets by Christmas, is a step in the right direction, but we need to see equal emphasis on preventing people from becoming homeless in the first place. This requires sustained investment, effective partnership between government, local authorities and charities, and a commitment to delivering lasting outcomes.
We must also look beyond rough sleeping. If we are serious about ending homelessness, we must address all its forms.
