Rough sleeping snapshot autumn 2025 - Catching Lives responds

Photo credit: Stephen Waller/Unsplash

On 26 February 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) published the Rough Sleeping Snapshot in England autumn 2025. This data release showed an estimate of 4,793 people sleeping rough on a single 'typical' night in England in autumn 2025. Nationally, this is an increase of 126 people or 3% on the 2024 rough sleeping snapshot estimate total (4,667) and a new record high. Rough sleeping in England is 171% higher than when the snapshot data series began in 2010.

District-wide data for Canterbury was informed by a spotlight count and by shared intelligence about rough sleeping from local agencies, with Catching Lives taking part in both. Canterbury had an estimated 29 people sleeping rough on a single 'typical' night between 1 October and 30 November, compared to 31 people in 2024. The figure represents a decrease of just 6% on the previous year and remains 32% higher than the 2022 figure of 22 people sleeping rough.

Responding to the figures, Tasmin Maitland, Chief Executive of Catching Lives, said: “The snapshot data illustrates a lack of meaningful progress in ending rough sleeping, both locally and nationally. At Catching Lives we see the devastating personal impact of homelessness on the men and women coming to our day centre for support, and the persistent systemic barriers that prevent their access to housing. Yet we know this is a crisis that can be solved, and we remain committed to helping everyone find a safe place to live, so that no-one in our community is forced to sleep rough.”