Rough Sleeping in England Hits Record High

0:00You're listening to UK News today, powered by the Daily News Now, and brought to you by NordVPN fast, reliable online privacy. Links in the episode description, rough sleeping in England has reached its highest level since records started in 2010, with 4,793 people, counted on streets one night last autumn. That's a 3% jump from the year before. Women made up 733 of those, and 8% rise, while men numbered 3938. London tops the list at 1,277, but the Northeast saw the biggest yearly spike, of 31% to 100. 62. The government is stepping in with 50 million pounds over three years for local councils and services. In places like Leeds, charities are feeling the strain firsthand. Groups like Homeless Street Angels now hand out double the food boxes they did three years ago, but they often run short midway through routes. Demand keeps climbing, with new faces showing up weekly, and rough sleeping there is up 75% over three years.

1:04Separate stats show families in temporary spots, like hotels hitting a record, 134,760 households from July. To September, up nearly 7% with 85,730 including kids. Charities say single-night counts miss the full picture of hidden homelessness. While the government pledges to cut long-term rough sleeping in half by 2030, frontline workers worry the gap between need and support is. Only widening, only widening, only widening, only widening, only widening, only widening, only widening, only widening, only widening, only widening, only widening, only widening, only widening, only expanding.