'National shame' as 4,000 sleep rough in England
Every region of England has seen a rise in the number of rough sleepers over the past year with a 27 percent rise nationwide, according to government statistics published Thursday. A snapshot from one night in autumn 2023 found 3,898 rough sleepers across England compared to 3,069 in 2022 and 1,768 in 2010. The largest rises were recorded in the northern England regions of Yorkshire and Humber (59 percent), the North West (49 percent) and the North East (46 percent), according to the data from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). Almost half of those sleeping rough in England are in London and the surrounding southeast region. Matt Downie, chief executive of homelessness charity Crisis, said the figures were "a source of national shame. It is a sign of extreme inequality and must prompt a rethink at the highest levels of government." "We... need to see a complete change in approach and a commitment to build the levels of social housing we need every year," he added. A DLHUC spokesperson said that rough sleeping remained below pre-pandemic levels, but added "there is more work to be done to meet our ambition to end it entirely." (AFP)