Homeless deaths rise for fifth year in a row

Homeless deaths rise for fifth year in a row as Shelter warns Covid job losses will leave many more without homes this winter

• ONS figures show number of homeless deaths has risen for fifth year in a row
• London and the north-west had the highest numbers of homeless deaths in 2019
• Most of the deaths last year were among men with 687 estimated deaths
•  37% of deaths were related to drug poisoning, while suicides increased by 30%
• Shelter warned ‘man people will face trauma of homelessness’ following Covid 

The number of people dying while homeless in England and Wales has risen for the fifth year in a row, new data released today shows.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show there were an estimated 778 deaths of homeless people registered in 2019 – an increase of 7.2 per cent from 2018, and the highest number since the data series began in 2013.  

The number of estimated deaths of homeless people has increased each year from 2014 when there were 475, according to the UK statistican.

The data also shows that that 37.1 per cent of the estimated deaths were related to drug poisoning, while suicides among homeless people increased by 30.2 per cent from 86 estimated deaths in 2018 to 112 in 2019 – representing the largest year-on-year increase since our time series began. 

Shelter’s chief executive Polly Neate said the figures showed how dangerous homelessness and rough sleeping can be even before the coronavirus outbreak.

She also warned that ‘many people will be facing the trauma of homelessness this winter’ following the ‘economic fallout’ of the pandemic.

‘No one should die on the streets or in a temporary bed in a hostel,’ Ms Neate said. ‘It is awful to think so many people spent their final moments without a safe home in 2019.

‘These figures show how incredibly dangerous homelessness, and especially rough sleeping can be, even before we had a deadly pandemic to deal with. Coronavirus has made the streets even more dangerous. 

The number of people dying while homeless in England and Wales has risen for the fifth year in a row, new data released today shows. Figures from the ONS show that 37.1 per cent of the estimated deaths were related to drug poisoning, while suicides among homeless people increased by 30.2 per cent from 86 estimated deaths in 2018 to 112 in 2019 – representing the largest year-on-year increase since our time series began

ONS figures show show there were an estimated 778 deaths of homeless people registered in 2019 – an increase of 7.2 per cent from 2018, and the highest number since 2013

Most of the deaths in 2019 were among men with 687 estimated deaths (88.3 per cent). Among homeless people the mean age at death was 45.9 years for males and 43.4 years for females in 2019, compared to 76.1 years for men and 80.9 years for women in the general population of England and Wales, the ONS said

London and the north-west had the highest numbers of deaths in 2019 with 144 and 126 estimated deaths of homeless people respectively. The majority of identified deaths were in urban areas (96.1 per cent), consistent with data showing higher concentrations of rough sleeping in urban areas of England and Wales

‘At the start of lockdown in March thousands of people were offered accommodation, but with the economic fallout of the crisis resulting in thousands of job losses, many people will be facing the trauma of homelessness this winter. 

‘These are not just statistics, they are real people who have tragically lost their lives during a nationwide housing emergency.

‘Today, it is important we remember them and we use this terrible loss as a catalyst for positive change.’

London and the north-west had the highest numbers of deaths in 2019 with 144 and 126 estimated deaths of homeless people respectively.

The majority of identified deaths were in urban areas (96.1 per cent), consistent with data showing higher concentrations of rough sleeping in urban areas of England and Wales. 

In 2019, deaths of homeless people were identified in 174 of 336 local authorities (LAs) in England and Wales. 

The LAs with the highest number of estimated deaths included Manchester (28 deaths), Liverpool (25 deaths), Birmingham (25 deaths), Bristol (23 deaths). Leeds (19 deaths) and Westminster (15 deaths).

This compares to 28 estimated deaths of homeless people in the north-east and 33 in Wales. 

In the general population, the number of suicides have also increased in recent years. Explanations include changes to the way records are collected, such as recent coronial change, and genuine increases in suicide due to a complex range of factors.

Most of the deaths in 2019 were among men with 687 estimated deaths (88.3 per cent).

Among homeless people the mean age at death was 45.9 years for males and 43.4 years for females in 2019, compared to 76.1 years for men and 80.9 years for women in the general population of England and Wales, the ONS said.

Responding to the figures, Crisis chief executive Jon Sparkes said: ‘It is devastating that hundreds of people died without the dignity of a stable home.

‘Every one of these human beings will have had different lives, different characters and different stories. It is heart-breaking that what unites them is the systematic failure of successive governments. 

‘It is particularly shocking that the number of people to have taken their own lives while homeless has gone up by almost a third in just one year.

‘To prevent more avoidable deaths, it is vital that the UK government urgently fulfils its previous commitment and expands the safeguarding system used to investigate the deaths of vulnerable adults, to include anyone who has died while homeless.’ 

The figures show deaths registered in each year, rather than deaths occurring in each year. 

A large proportion of deaths of homeless people are investigated by a coroner to establish the cause of death in what is known as an inquest.

The length of time it takes to hold an inquest creates a gap between the date of death and the date of death registration. 

This means that several deaths registered in 2019 will have occurred in earlier years, while some deaths that occurred in 2019 will not yet be included in the figures.

When looking at deaths identified as homeless in 2019 registrations, 87.6 per cent were investigated by a coroner.

There was a median delay of 153 days, while 54.2 per cent had a date of death in 2019.

When looking at the entire seven-year time period (2013 to 2019), 85.1 per cent of identified homeless deaths were investigated by a coroner and there was a median registration delay of 139 days.  

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