Skip to content
ContentLora

    Tip: press / anywhere to search.

    Explainer

    Homelessness in the US and UK explained: numbers, causes, policy

    HUD counted 745,652 people experiencing homelessness on one night in January 2025, about 3% below the 2024 record of 771,480 but higher than any earlier year.[1][2][3] Federal policy has shifted away from "Housing First" toward treatment requirements and enforcement, while England's rough sleeping and temporary accommodation numbers are at record highs.[4][5][6][7]

    Editor reviewedStrict sourcingUpdated ExplainerSocial welfare, Tech policy

    In US federal law, homelessness means lacking a fixed, regular and adequate place to sleep at night.[8] In the US it is measured mainly by a one-night count each January, and that count hit a record in 2024 before dipping slightly in 2025.[9][2][3] This page is the first stop in a short course on homelessness and housing. It covers the numbers, the causes that agencies and researchers cite, and the policy changes of 2025 and 2026. It is general information, not legal or financial advice; programme rules vary, so check with the official agency.

    If you need help now: in the US, HUD says to dial 2-1-1 and press 6 for homeless services, and veterans can call the VA’s 24/7 line at 1-877-424-3838.[10] In England, your council must help if you are legally homeless or will become homeless within 8 weeks.[11] For other help with rent, see our guide to rental and housing assistance.

    How homelessness is counted

    Every January, local networks called Continuums of Care count people sleeping in shelters, in transitional housing and outside on one night. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) adds up the results.[9] The count leaves out people who are about to lose their homes.[9] It also does not count people living in rapid rehousing or permanent supportive housing, because those are treated as permanent homes.[12]

    The point-in-time (PIT) count is conducted on one night in January by Continuums of Care (CoCs) and aggregated by HUD in the Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR).[9] It covers people in emergency shelter, transitional housing (TH) and unsheltered locations, but not those at imminent risk of losing housing.[9] People in rapid rehousing (RR) and permanent supportive housing (PSH) are excluded, while people in TH are counted. So the mix of program types affects who appears in the count.[12][5]

    The latest numbers

    In January 2024 the count reached 771,480, the largest since data collection began. Homelessness among families with children rose 39% in one year.[2][13] HUD released the 2025 report on May 29, 2026. It counted 745,652 people: 479,332 sheltered and 266,320 unsheltered.[14][1]

    The 2025 dip was driven mostly by New York and Illinois, which had the largest increases the year before. Some local systems there linked the fall partly to changes in federal immigration policy.[15] Family homelessness fell 11%, and veteran homelessness reached 32,495, the lowest on record.[16][17] But the numbers of homeless individuals and of chronically homeless individuals both hit records; chronic homelessness among individuals stood at 155,750.[18] The Bipartisan Policy Center noted that 28 states still saw increases.[19]

    What causes homelessness

    There is no single cause, and officials disagree about which ones matter most. The Supreme Court’s majority in Grants Pass v. Johnson wrote that homelessness “is complex” and “its causes are many”.[20]

    • Housing costs. The 2024 AHAR, published under the previous administration, said the worsening affordable housing crisis, inflation and stagnating wages had stretched homelessness systems to their limits. It also cited systemic racism, immigration, disasters and the end of pandemic prevention programmes.[21] About half of US renter households were cost burdened in 2024.[22]
    • Addiction and mental illness. The July 2025 executive order says the overwhelming majority of people living on the streets are addicted to drugs, have a mental health condition, or both.[23]
    • Migration. HUD’s 2025 report says New York and Illinois linked their 2024 increases partly to immigration.[19]

    For the data on rents, wages and cost burdens, see housing affordability data explained.

    How US policy changed in 2024-2026

    For about a decade, federal homelessness funding favoured “Housing First”: giving people a permanent home without first requiring sobriety or treatment.[24][25] In 2024 the Supreme Court ruled that cities can enforce camping bans on public property.[26] In July 2025, President Trump signed an executive order calling for wider use of civil commitment, which means court-ordered treatment in an institution.[27] The order also told agencies to stop supporting Housing First.[4] HUD then rewrote the rules for its main homelessness grants, and the changes are being fought in court.[5][28]

    City of Grants Pass v. Johnson (June 28, 2024, 6-3) held that enforcing generally applicable public-camping laws is not cruel and unusual punishment. This ended the Ninth Circuit’s Martin v. Boise rule tying enforcement to shelter-bed availability.[26][29][30] The July 24, 2025 order “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets” directs the Attorney General to seek reversal of precedents and consent decrees that impede civil commitment.[31] It asks agencies to consider prioritising grants for jurisdictions that enforce camping bans, and directs HHS and HUD to end support for Housing First.[32][4] HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoC) program is the largest federal funding stream aimed at homelessness, and 62% of its FY2024 money went to PSH.[33] The FY2025 and FY2026 funding notices cut protected renewal funding and prioritised transitional housing and required services.[5] A First Circuit stay on September 16, 2026 let the FY2026 competition proceed while the appeal continues.[28] The evidence behind these choices is weighed in the Housing First debate, and dated events are in the homelessness policy tracker.

    The UK picture

    England counts rough sleeping differently: councils estimate the number of people sleeping rough on a single night in October or November. The autumn 2025 estimate was 4,793, a record above the 2017 peak, up 3% on 2024 and 171% on 2010.[6] Statutory homelessness is broader. On 31 March 2026, a record 135,580 households were in temporary accommodation arranged by councils, including 177,530 children.[7] These figures are now monitored against targets in the government’s national plan to end homelessness.[34] The next rough sleeping snapshot is due in early 2027.[35]

    Next in this course

    Read the HUD profile, then the Housing First evidence debate and the homelessness policy tracker. For the housing side, continue with affordable housing explained. For the wider safety net, see social assistance explained.

    Developing in World & Policy

    Questions readers ask

    How many people are homeless in the United States?

    HUD's point-in-time count found 745,652 people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2025, including 479,332 in shelters and 266,320 unsheltered.[1]

    Is homelessness going up or down?

    The 2025 count was about 3% lower than the 2024 record, mainly because of falls in New York and Illinois, but it was still higher than in any year before 2024, and chronic homelessness among individuals reached a record.[3][15][18]

    Has the 2025 homelessness report been released?

    Yes. HUD released the 2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Part 1, on May 29, 2026.[14]

    Who is counted in the point-in-time count?

    People in emergency shelters, transitional housing and unsheltered places on one night in January. People about to lose housing, and people in rapid rehousing or permanent supportive housing, are not counted as homeless.[9][12]

    How many people sleep rough in England?

    An estimated 4,793 people were sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2025, a record high. On 31 March 2026, a record 135,580 households were in temporary accommodation.[6][7]

    Where can someone get help with homelessness?

    In the US, HUD says to dial 2-1-1 and press 6 for homeless services; veterans can call 1-877-424-3838. In England, councils must help people who are homeless or will be within 8 weeks.[10][11]

    Sources

    · 35 claims from 11 publishers

    Each numbered claim is a statement we checked against the sources listed with it. Tap a number in the text to see its sources in place.

    1. [1]

      HUD's 2025 point-in-time count found 745,652 people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2025, of whom 479,332 were sheltered and 266,320 unsheltered. confirmedas of 2026-05-29

    2. [2]

      HUD's point-in-time count found 771,480 people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2024, the largest number since data collection began. confirmedas of 2024-12-31

    3. [3]

      The 2025 count was about 3% lower than the 2024 record, but still higher than in any year before 2024. confirmedas of 2026-09-25

    4. [4]

      The order directs HHS and HUD, to the extent permitted by law, to end support for "housing first" policies and lets HUD require program participants with substance use disorder or serious mental illness to use treatment as a condition of participation. confirmedas of 2025-07-24

    5. [5]

      The FY2025 and FY2026 CoC funding notices shifted priorities toward treatment and recovery and required participation in services, made less money available to renew existing grants (mostly permanent housing), and prioritized new transitional housing and supportive services projects. confirmedas of 2026-09-25

    6. [6]

      An estimated 4,793 people were sleeping rough in England on a single night in autumn 2025, a record high above the 2017 peak of 4,751, up 3% on 2024 and 171% on 2010. confirmedas of 2026-02-26

    7. [7]

      On 31 March 2026, a record 135,580 households were in temporary accommodation in England, including 177,530 children. confirmedas of 2026-08-13

    8. [8]

      Under federal law, people counted as homeless lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence and sleep in unsheltered places, emergency shelters, transitional housing or safe havens. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    9. [9]

      The point-in-time count is conducted on one night in January by local Continuums of Care and aggregated nationally by HUD; it does not include people who are about to lose housing. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    10. [10]

      HUD is not a direct homeless service provider; it directs people who need shelter to dial 2-1-1 and press 6 for homeless services, and veterans to the VA's 24/7 line at 1-877-424-3838. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

      • Helping Americans · U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (retrieved 2026-10-11)
      • Helping Americans · U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (retrieved 2026-10-11)
      • Helping Americans · U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (retrieved 2026-10-11)
    11. [11]

      In England, councils must help people who are legally homeless or will become homeless within the next 8 weeks. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    12. [12]

      People living in rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing are not counted as homeless in the point-in-time count, while people in transitional housing are. confirmedas of 2026-09-18

    13. [13]

      Between 2023 and 2024, the number of people in families with children experiencing homelessness rose 39%, and total homelessness rose 18%. confirmedas of 2024-12-31

    14. [14]

      HUD released the 2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Part 1 (point-in-time estimates), on May 29, 2026. confirmedas of 2026-05-29

    15. [15]

      New York and Illinois had the largest decreases in 2025 (about 12,500 and 11,300 people), after the largest increases in 2024; some local systems there attributed the drop partly to changes in federal immigration policy. confirmedas of 2026-05-29

    16. [16]

      Between 2024 and 2025, the number of homeless people in families with children fell by over 29,000, or 11%. confirmedas of 2026-05-29

    17. [17]

      In 2025, 32,495 veterans were counted as homeless, the lowest number since veteran data collection began in 2009 and 56% below that year. confirmedas of 2026-05-29

    18. [18]

      In 2025 the numbers of homeless individuals and of chronically homeless individuals reached record highs; chronic homelessness among individuals stood at 155,750. confirmedas of 2026-05-29

    19. [19]

      The Bipartisan Policy Center noted that 28 states still saw overall increases in homelessness in 2025, and judged the national decline to reflect easing of the forces behind the 2024 surge, including migration, more than a shift in housing markets. confirmedas of 2026-10-11· interpretation

    20. [20]

      The majority wrote that homelessness has many causes and that the Eighth Amendment does not make federal judges primarily responsible for devising responses; the dissent wrote that for some people sleeping outside is their only option. confirmedas of 2024-06-28

    21. [21]

      The 2024 AHAR, published under the previous administration, said the worsening affordable housing crisis, inflation, stagnating wages and systemic racism had stretched homelessness systems, with disasters, immigration and the end of pandemic-era prevention programs adding pressure. confirmedas of 2024-12-31

    22. [22]

      In 2024, 22.7 million renter households (49.4%) and 20.7 million owner households (23.9%) were cost burdened, and 26.2% of renter households were severely cost burdened. confirmedas of 2026-05-13

    23. [23]

      The executive order asserts that the overwhelming majority of people living on the streets are addicted to drugs, have a mental health condition, or both, and cites 274,224 unsheltered people in the last year of the previous administration as a record. confirmedas of 2025-07-24

    24. [24]

      Housing First provides rapid access to permanent housing that is not conditional on sobriety or on taking part in treatment; services are offered but not required. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    25. [25]

      Releasing the 2025 count, HUD Secretary Scott Turner said the "housing first" status quo had failed to meaningfully reduce homelessness; HUD measured trends from 2013, which it described as the start of Housing First policy changes in its programs. confirmedas of 2026-05-29

    26. [26]

      In City of Grants Pass v. Johnson (decided June 28, 2024), the Supreme Court held that enforcing generally applicable laws regulating camping on public property is not cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment. confirmedas of 2024-06-28

    27. [27]

      On July 24, 2025, President Trump signed the executive order "Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets", which says that moving homeless individuals into long-term institutional settings through civil commitment will restore public order. confirmedas of 2025-07-24

    28. [28]

      A lawsuit challenging the FY2026 notice was filed on July 2, 2026; on August 7 the district court vacated the notice under the Administrative Procedure Act, and on September 16 a First Circuit panel stayed that order pending appeal, letting the competition proceed. confirmedas of 2026-09-18

    29. [29]

      The ruling rejected the Ninth Circuit's Martin v. Boise approach, which had barred cities from enforcing camping bans against homeless people when homeless people outnumbered practically available shelter beds. confirmedas of 2024-06-28

    30. [30]

      The decision was 6-3. Justice Gorsuch wrote for the majority, joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Thomas, Alito, Kavanaugh and Barrett; Justice Sotomayor dissented, joined by Justices Kagan and Jackson. confirmedas of 2024-06-28

    31. [31]

      The order directs the Attorney General to seek reversal of precedents and consent decrees that impede civil commitment, and to help states adopt "maximally flexible" civil commitment and treatment standards. confirmedas of 2025-07-24

    32. [32]

      The order tells agencies to consider prioritizing discretionary grants for states and cities that enforce bans on open drug use and on urban camping and loitering. confirmedas of 2025-07-24

    33. [33]

      HUD's Continuum of Care (CoC) program is the largest federal funding source specifically targeted to people experiencing homelessness; in FY2024, 62% of its funding went to permanent supportive housing and 20% to rapid rehousing. confirmedas of 2026-09-25

    34. [34]

      England's statutory homelessness statistics are now monitored against targets in the government's national plan to end homelessness, using a July to September 2025 baseline. confirmedas of 2026-08-13

    35. [35]

      The UK government expects to publish the autumn 2026 rough sleeping snapshot in early 2027. confirmedas of 2026-02-26

    Revision history (1)
    1. Page created.

    Created Oct 11, 2026. Last reviewed by an editor on Oct 11, 2026. Next scheduled review: Dec 15, 2026.

    Cite this page

    "Homelessness in the US and UK explained: numbers, causes, policy." ContentLora, updated Oct 11, 2026. https://contentlora.com/explain/homelessness-explained

    Spotted an error? Suggest a correction or emailcorrections@contentlora.com.

    ☰ Contents