Homelessness is one of the most challenging issues facing policy makers. As of October 2024, there were 14,966 people accessing emergency accommodation, including 4,645 children (around 30% of the total). This figure represents an increase of 1,787 people when compared with October 2023, and an increase of 206 people when compared with September 2024. Some 53% of adults accessing emergency accommodation were between the age of 25 and 44, while 61% were male. Figure 1 in the report shows the trend in the number of people living in emergency accommodation since 2015. Except for a period during COVID-19, the figures have been rising every year since 2015.

Reasons for homelessness - The reasons people become homeless are complex and are often made up of many factors, including:

• Structural, for example, lack of affordable housing, and issues in the private rental market.
• Personal circumstances, for example, mental health, and drug addiction.
• Institutional, for example, those leaving prisons and direct provision centres.
• Relationship, for example, domestic violence and financial stress.

This mix of factors can be seen in Figure 2 of the report, which shows the primary reasons for homelessness given by new entrants to emergency accommodation in quarter 3 2024. ‘Notice of termination’ was the main reason given (as represented by the bubble size), followed closely by ‘relationship breakdown and family circumstance’...