Rough Sleepers, Homeless People men women In Warrington Town Centre, Winmarleigh Street, Warrington, Cheshire, North West England, UK, WA1 1NB

The UK homeless charity Shelter put the 2017 figure for the whole of the UK's homeless at 300, 000. Recorded deaths among rough sleepers and those in temporary accommodation more than doubled in the five years to 2018. Homeless people die much younger than the general population, research by the Office for National Statistics shows. Homeless men die on average aged 44 while homeless women die on average aged 42. Homeless deaths have been rising stradily in the five years to 2018. Suicide, drug and alcohol abuse are the most common causes of death among homeless people. Jon Sparkes of Crisis urged the government to put causes of homelessness right, "like building the number of social homes we need and making sure our welfare system is there to support people when they fall on hard times". The charity, Crisis attributes rising homelessness to a shortage of social housing, housing benefits not covering private rents and there not being homeless prevention schemes for people leaving care. Crisis wants the government to change polixy. Crisis estimates there are roughly 12, 300 rough sleepers in the UK and also 12, 000 people sleeping in sheds, bins, cars, tents and night busses. The figure is derived from research by Heriot-Watt University. Rough sleeping has risen by 98% since 2010, sleeping in tents and the like rose 103%. In England rough sleeping rose by 120%, in Wales it rose by 75% and in Scotland it fell by 5%. Scotland has more inclusive homelessness laws, since 2012 guaranteeing a right to settled accommodation for all homeless people, including young single men, while England only houses those in “priority” need, like families with dependent children. Jon Sparkes of Crisis said, “Christmas should be a time of joy, but for thousands of people sleeping rough, in tents or on public transport it will be anything but. While most of the country will be celebrating and enjoying a family meal, those who are homeless will face a struggle just to stay safe and escape the c