Our view: Researchers uncover hidden homelessness crisis as official rough sleeping counts are failing women

Official rough-sleeping statistics greatly underestimate the true scale of homelessness among women up and down the country, according to research published this week.

A report compiled by a group of women’s welfare and homelessness organisations argues the official annual rough sleeping count misses hundreds of women – meaning their plight remains unrecognised and, crucially, unresolved.

Based on a week-long census carried out in 2023, the groups’ outreach teams found 815 women without a roof over their heads in 41 local authority areas across England, predominantly London.

That compared with 189 women registered in the same areas by the official count used by government officials, according to a report in Inside Housing this week.

The project, called The London Women’s Rough Sleeping Census, established that women find ways to avoid bedding down outdoors and instead seek safe shelter in locations including A&E waiting rooms, buses or trains, squats, friends’ or strangers’ homes. 

Some simply walk the streets all night and grab what sleep they can during the day.

Workers at The New Futures Project routinely see evidence of this practice among women, who use our drop-in centre as a place to rest during the day.

Lisa Swann-Davie, who manages drop-in services at the New Futures Project, said: “Many homeless women will not sleep in public due to the risk of harm, including both physical and sexual violence.

“Many of the women we speak to say this is a very real and prominent issue that often causes them to need to be alert throughout the night and not sleep, choosing instead to sleep in the daytime, either in public spaces, or places of safety like our project.

“This is why we have recently set up two sleeping areas within the building, with beds and bedding available throughout the day.”

One woman who completed the national census survey said: “I was scared to sleep outside in case anything bad happened to me… I think a lot of girls choose random places to stay, and there are a lot of homeless women.”

Another woman said she would “roam around and travel on buses”. She added: “As a female, you can’t just go to the corner of a road and sleep – it’s not safe.”

The coalition of organisations behind the study, which includes Solace, the Single Homeless Project and Change Grow Live, called for changes to the way women’s rough sleeping is recognised, counted and responded to.

Nahar Choudhury, chief executive of Solace, said: “We know all too well the dangers women face when homeless and the well-evidenced link between domestic abuse and homelessness. It’s important that policymakers acknowledge this and implement the changes needed.”

Lucy Campbell, head of multiple disadvantage at the Single Homeless Project, said: “The body of evidence shows women’s needs are not being met, largely due to current government policies and practices, which are based predominantly on the experiences of men. 

“This is an equalities issue that needs urgent attention from central government so women experiencing this devastating form of homelessness are not further marginalised by the support systems that are meant to help them.”

The New Futures Project was set up more than 20 years ago to support women involved in sex work.

However, we have evolved into a comprehensive welfare and counselling service for women and young people dealing with sexual abuse or exploitation, domestic violence, trafficking, poverty and debt, substance use or mental ill-health.

Call us on 0116 251 0803 or send us a message at: info@new-futures.org.uk

You can find us at 71 London Road, Leicester, LE2 0PE.

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