Tuesday 11th November 2025
The latest CHAIN quarterly report for Greater London shows that 4,711 people were seen rough sleeping in the capital between July and September 2025 – a 9% increase from the previous quarter*.
The figures reveal some worrying trends. While the number of people newly seen rough sleeping has fallen by 10% compared with the same period last year, the number of people judged to be living on the streets long-term has risen to 759 – an 11% increase. These trends highlight the urgent need for rapid, person-centred, and properly resourced responses to homelessness across London.
Behind every one of these numbers is a person with a story. With early intervention, personalised support, and sustained outreach, we can ensure that more people are prevented from becoming entrenched in street homelessness – turning a single night out into a pathway back to safety.
View the London-wide demographics of those rough sleeping:
Gender
- Female: 18.4%
- Male: 81.5%
- Non-binary: 0.2%
Age
- Under 18: 2 (0.0%)
- 18-25: 366 (8.3%)
- 26 – 35: 1,096 (25.0%)
- 36 – 45: 1,328 (30.2%)
- 46 – 55: 978 (22.3%)
- Over 55: 622 (14.2%)
Ethnicity
- Asian (inc. Chinese): 468 (10.7%)
- Black: 1,072 (24.2%)
- Mixed: 120 (2.7%)
- White (inc. Gypsy/Irish Traveller/Roma): 2,087 (47.5%)
- Arab/Other: 271 (6.2%%)
- Unknown: 374 (8.5%)
These figures represent only those cases where this information was known or disclosed.
In Westminster alone, 1,053 people were rough sleeping.
Westminster continues to record the highest rough sleeping numbers in the UK, with over a thousand individuals seen bedded down in a single quarter. The rise from the previous period (+174) suggests not only seasonal but also systemic pressures and cost-of-living stressors.
View the Westminster demographics of those rough sleeping:
Gender
- Female: 23.0% (239)
- Male: 76.8% (800)
- Non-binary: 0.2% (2)
- Unknown: 12
Age
- Under 18: 0.1% (1)
- 18-25: 6.4% (67)
- 26 – 35: 22.0% (232)
- 36 – 45: 29.4% (310)
- 46 – 55: 25.2% (265)
- Over 55: 16.9% (178)
Ethnicity
- Asian (inc. Chinese): 3.9% (41)
- Black: 18.2% (192)
- Mixed: 23 (2.2%)
- White (inc. Gypsy/Irish Traveller/Roma): 602 (57.2%)
- Arab/Other: 57 (5.4%)
- Unknown: 138 (13.1%)
These figures represent only those cases where this information was known or disclosed.
Find out many people were rough sleeping in your area:
- Barking & Dagenham: 51
- Barnet: 62
- Bexley: 58
- Brent: 176
- Bromley: 41
- Camden: 314
- City of London: 282
- Croydon: 153
- Ealing: 222
- Enfield: 56
- Greenwich: 167
- Hackney: 105
- Hammersmith & Fulham: 141
- Haringey: 144
- Harrow: 21
- Havering: 21
- Hillingdon: 132
- Hounslow: 126
- Islington: 124
- Kensington & Chelsea: 89
- Kingston upon Thames: 57
- Lambeth: 192
- Lewisham: 106
- Merton: 23
- Newham: 171
- Redbridge: 106
- Richmond: 37
- Southwark: 207
- Sutton: 14
- Tower Hamlets: 209
- Waltham Forest: 85
- Wandsworth: 75
- Westminster: 1053
Understanding London’s rough sleeping numbers
Progress and fragility
The fact that 74% of people new to the streets were prevented from spending a second night out demonstrates that rapid, person-centred outreach and No Night Out approaches are effective. At The Passage, we see first-hand how early intervention can prevent short-term crises from becoming long-term street homelessness.
Complex needs are common
Over half of people assessed had a mental health need, and more than a third required drug or alcohol support. This shows that effective homelessness responses must be integrated with mental health, substance use, and criminal justice services – something The Passage actively champions through our coordinated, multi-agency approach.
Accommodation outcomes are increasing but demand remains high
Outreach teams and partner services continue to secure emergency, temporary, and long-term housing, with nearly 1,500 bookings in the quarter. While this demonstrates strong operational impact, addressing structural gaps in affordable housing and follow-on support remains critical – a challenge The Passage is tackling through strategic partnerships, policy advocacy, and targeted prevention programmes.
A human note
Behind the statistics are real people: parents, siblings, friends. Individuals who once had jobs, homes, and support networks. That reality drives The Passage’s work: providing practical support, advocacy, and close partnership with health and local authority services to ensure people are offered a lasting route off the streets.
£75 could prevent someone from a night or life on the streets, helping them through our No Night Out scheme.
*Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) Q2 data: July – September 2025 (4,711) compared to April – June 2025 (4,329).