Rough sleeping in England and France
A comparative analysis of rough sleeping in the two countries and their approaches to ending the problem
STRATEGY
Image: Istock
Nina Cilins
Policy and Research Officer, Campbell Tickell
Issue 65 | April 2023
Political figureheads in both England and France have made promises to end rough sleeping. Do the downward trends shown in some counts represent reality and how do the two countries compare?
It is difficult to make a direct comparison as different definitions for rough sleepers are used. In England, since 2010 the Office for National Statistics has used: “People sleeping, about to bed down or actually bedded down in the open air (on the street, in tents, in doorways, parks, bus shelters etc.). People in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (stairwells, barns, sheds, cars, etc.).”
In France, the definition of a homeless person (‘sans-abris’ or ‘without shelter’), used by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE) is broader and encompasses people sleeping in homeless shelters and hostels: “A person is considered homeless on any given day if they spent the previous night in sheltered accommodation (collective facility, hotel room, or housing facility paid for by an association) or a place not intended or equipped for dwelling.”
Accurate picture
Whatever the definition used, getting an accurate picture of the numbers and nature of rough sleeping is an important step in creating strategies to solve the problem.
One method is to count how many people are seen on the streets sleeping rough in a single night. Another option is to interrogate providers of services (homeless shelters or food banks) directly to give an estimate of how many people they encounter through their activity, on a daily basis.
So, what are the reported numbers?
England
In England, the latest rough sleeping data published in February 2023 by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, says 3,069 people were sleeping rough on a single night in England in autumn 2022.
This is a 26% increase compared to 2021 and a 74% increase since 2010, but less than the peak reached in 2017 with 4,571 rough sleepers spotted on a single night. Nearly half (47%) of those people recorded sleeping rough are in London and the south east.
In the last annual bulletin from the London-only Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN), it was reported that 8,329 people were seen rough sleeping in London during 2021/2022. This represents a 24% decrease compared to the total of 11,018 people seen in 2020/21.
However, CHAIN’S latest quarterly report for October-December 2022 counted 3,570 rough sleepers in the capital city, including 1,700 people sleeping rough for the first time. This represents a 21% increase for the total number and 29% increase for first-timer number compared to the same period last year and reflect the cost-of-living crisis that the country is currently experiencing
France
During the last Solidarity Night in 2023 in Paris, 3,015 people were counted sleeping rough, which represents a 16% increase compared to last year.
Out of those 3,015 people, 14% were families, 14% were women, and 3.5% were under 18 years old.
A further 618 people were spotted sleeping rough in the additional 27 municipalities that participated in Solidarity Night within the metropolitan area of the capital (forming Metropole du Grand Paris).
These numbers mark a return to pre-pandemic levels among the rough-sleeping population, reflecting the current economic crisis which has hit the most vulnerable people hardest, including families with children.
“These numbers mark a return to pre-pandemic levels among the rough-sleeping population, reflecting the current economic crisis which has hit the most vulnerable people hardest, including families with children.”
England
In England, the latest rough sleeping data published in February 2023 by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, says 3,069 people were sleeping rough on a single night in England in autumn 2022.
This is a 26% increase compared to 2021 and a 74% increase since 2010, but less than the peak reached in 2017 with 4,571 rough sleepers spotted on a single night. Nearly half (47%) of those people recorded sleeping rough are in London and the south east.
In the last annual bulletin from the London-only Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN), it was reported that 8,329 people were seen rough sleeping in London during 2021/2022. This represents a 24% decrease compared to the total of 11,018 people seen in 2020/21.
However, CHAIN’S latest quarterly report for October-December 2022 counted 3,570 rough sleepers in the capital city, including 1,700 people sleeping rough for the first time. This represents a 21% increase for the total number and 29% increase for first-timer number compared to the same period last year and reflect the cost-of-living crisis that the country is currently experiencing
France
During the last Solidarity Night in 2023 in Paris, 3,015 people were counted sleeping rough, which represents a 16% increase compared to last year.
Out of those 3,015 people, 14% were families, 14% were women, and 3.5% were under 18 years old.
A further 618 people were spotted sleeping rough in the additional 27 municipalities that participated in Solidarity Night within the metropolitan area of the capital (forming Metropole du Grand Paris).
These numbers mark a return to pre-pandemic levels among the rough-sleeping population, reflecting the current economic crisis which has hit the most vulnerable people hardest, including families with children.
“These numbers mark a return to pre-pandemic levels among the rough-sleeping population, reflecting the current economic crisis which has hit the most vulnerable people hardest, including families with children.”
Policies to end rough sleeping
England
Boris Johnson made a promise in the Conservative Party’s 2019 general election manifesto to end rough sleeping by 2024. Then in September 2022, the government published its latest plan to reach this goal. The rough sleeping strategy was collaboratively designed by eight ministers from the main government departments, showing signs of cross-departmental partnership.
It defines what the government means by ending rough sleeping as: preventing it “whenever possible” and “where it does occur it is rare, brief and non-recurrent”. It is centred around four themes: prevention, intervention, recovery, and a transparent and joined-up system.
The strategy paper forecasts an investment of £2 billion over the next three years, which includes £500 million invested in the Rough Sleeping Initiative (for more beds and staff); and £200 million in the Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (to finance 2,400 new homes by March 2025).
Overall, the plan takes a broad view on who is at risk of experiencing rough sleeping, with funds attributed to specialised programmes for adults suffering from severe multiple disadvantages, former prison inmates, and young people leaving a children’s home.
An important thing to bear in mind is that the government’s plans are based on the – potentially largely – underestimated official figures.
France
In France, support and accommodation services for the homeless are delivered by charities and NGOs funded by the government.
The legal principle of unconditional access to shelter has always been a pillar of policies to tackle homelessness, giving anyone who calls the free emergency number the right to a place in a hostel or similar temporary accommodation. However, the reality is that the number of spaces available is not growing in line with demand, and many people cannot get the support they need.
Since 2011, France has also implemented the ‘housing first’ principle through the ‘Un chez soi d’abord’ project. This gives access to independent housing to the most vulnerable rough sleepers, alongside intensive multidisciplinary support.
After the success of the pilot programme in Lille, Marseille, Paris, and Toulouse, the government plans to increase the number of available sites with 2,000 new spaces across the country.
As a member of the European Union, France is a signatory to the Declaration on the European Platform Combatting Homelessness which set the common objective of zero rough sleepers by 2030.
It has approved the action plan agreed in February 2022 between the member states and EU institutions to work collaboratively towards this goal.
England
Boris Johnson made a promise in the Conservative Party’s 2019 general election manifesto to end rough sleeping by 2024. Then in September 2022, the government published its latest plan to reach this goal. The rough sleeping strategy was collaboratively designed by eight ministers from the main government departments, showing signs of cross-departmental partnership.
It defines what the government means by ending rough sleeping as: preventing it “whenever possible” and “where it does occur it is rare, brief and non-recurrent”. It is centred around four themes: prevention, intervention, recovery, and a transparent and joined-up system.
The strategy paper forecasts an investment of £2 billion over the next three years, which includes £500 million invested in the Rough Sleeping Initiative (for more beds and staff); and £200 million in the Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme (to finance 2,400 new homes by March 2025).
Overall, the plan takes a broad view on who is at risk of experiencing rough sleeping, with funds attributed to specialised programmes for adults suffering from severe multiple disadvantages, former prison inmates, and young people leaving a children’s home.
An important thing to bear in mind is that the government’s plans are based on the – potentially largely – underestimated official figures.
France
In France, support and accommodation services for the homeless are delivered by charities and NGOs funded by the government.
The legal principle of unconditional access to shelter has always been a pillar of policies to tackle homelessness, giving anyone who calls the free emergency number the right to a place in a hostel or similar temporary accommodation. However, the reality is that the number of spaces available is not growing in line with demand, and many people cannot get the support they need.
Since 2011, France has also implemented the ‘housing first’ principle through the ‘Un chez soi d’abord’ project. This gives access to independent housing to the most vulnerable rough sleepers, alongside intensive multidisciplinary support.
After the success of the pilot programme in Lille, Marseille, Paris, and Toulouse, the government plans to increase the number of available sites with 2,000 new spaces across the country.
As a member of the European Union, France is a signatory to the Declaration on the European Platform Combatting Homelessness which set the common objective of zero rough sleepers by 2030.
It has approved the action plan agreed in February 2022 between the member states and EU institutions to work collaboratively towards this goal.
