FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For further comment or to arrange a spokesperson interview email simon.trevethick@crisis.org.uk or call 0207 426 3880

Today, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released figures detailing the number of people who have died while homeless in each local authority across England and Wales between 2013 and 2017. The figures show that homeless people are nine point two (9.2) times more likely to die when living in the most deprived areas of the country¹. The figures also reveal that the highest estimated numbers of deaths during the five year period were in major urban areas, including Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol and London².

In response, Crisis Chief Executive, Jon Sparkes, said: “It’s nothing less than shameful that hundreds of people across England and Wales with nowhere to turn have died while homeless, especially when we know that homelessness is entirely preventable. This simply cannot go on.

“Governments must ensure local authorities, particularly in the most deprived areas, have the appropriate funding to conduct reviews into the death of every person who has died while homeless, to prevent more people from dying needlessly. They must also make sure that when people do become homeless, they are rehoused quickly, and with the support they need to keep their homes, whether it’s help to find employment, mental health support or drug and alcohol services.

“Ultimately, we must stop these tragedies from happening year after year. Homelessness can and must be ended, but only if the root causes are tackled.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1 When the estimated deaths of homeless people are analysed using deciles of the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) and the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD), there is a clear gradient with most deaths occurring in the more deprived local areas. The rate of deaths per 100,000 population in the most deprived tenth of local areas in England was 9.2 times that of the least deprived tenth. For Wales, the rate of deaths per 100,000 population in the most deprived tenth of local areas was 3.4 times that of the least deprived tenth. 

2

Local Authority	Total deaths 2013-2017	Percentage increase 2013 to 2017	Deaths in 2017	Percentage increase 2016 to 2017
Birmingham	90	13%	18	0%
Camden	89	-29%	15	-35%
Manchester	65	133%	21	91%
Lambeth	65	6%	17	113%
Liverpool	62	70%	17	0%
Bristol, City of	52	183%	17	70%
Westminster	52	-42%	7	17%
Leeds	49	0%	10	-9%
Brighton and Hove	48	0%	11	-15%
Newcastle upon Tyne	46	86%	13	30%
Tower Hamlets	44	-17%	10	100%
Blackburn with Darwen	41	175%	11	0%
Southampton	40	-36%	7	-42%
City and Hackney	38	-36%	7	-36%
Leicester	37	-17%	5	-55%
Kingston upon Hull, City of	35	200%	12	9%
Southwark	34	200%	12	50%
Bournemouth	34	-25%	9	800%
Oxford	33	67%	10	0%
Lewisham	31	350%	9	29%
Sheffield	30	-44%	5	25%
Islington	30	-44%	5	-38%
Newham	27		7	40%
Cardiff	24	-56%	4	-33%
Ealing	23	-33%	4	-20%
Plymouth	23	-50%	2	-82%
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly	22	75%	7	75%
Salford	21		6	-25%
Northampton	21		7	40%

 

For a full breakdown of the figures visit the ONS website here