Nearly 1,900 homeless people have died in London in 13 years, shock figures reveal.
They show that an estimated 151 people sleeping rough on the capital’s streets, or in emergency or temporary accommodation, passed away last year.
The figure was down from a peak of 201 in 2024 and a total of 1,872 since 2013, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.
The figures were published just weeks after Andy Burnham vowed to end rough sleeping in England.
The highest number of homeless deaths was in Westminster, 14 in 2025 and 192 over the 13-year period.
Government ministers have told of London’s shame at the level of homelessness on the city’s streets, which they see as they head into the Commons.
The joint second highest figure was Lambeth and Camden, both ten fatalities last year.
In the five years to 2025, 820 homeless people died in the capital, compared to 665 in the five years from 2013.
“People experiencing homelessness are among the most vulnerable in society and often experience significantly worse health outcomes than the wider population,” said David Mais, Head of Mortality Statistics at the ONS.
“These statistics help build a clearer picture of the impact of homelessness-related deaths and can support services, charities and policymakers in their efforts to save lives.”
London had the highest number of deaths of homeless people, at 151, followed by the North West (146) and the South East (144).
But the fatality rate in the capital was in line with the average for England and Wales at 21.3 deaths per million people.
The highest rate in England was in the North West at 25.5, followed by Yorkshire and the Humber at 24.4 and the East Midlands 20.9.
The Government and Mayor of London Lord Sadiq Khan have launched a series of initiatives to try to reduce rough sleeping.
Accidents were the largest underlying cause of death for homeless people in every year between 2013 and 2025, with an estimated 380 such fatalities in England and Wales last year, or 39% of the 974 total.
Shockingly, the 974 figure was 77% higher than the 550 in 2013.
Intentional self-harm accounted for 84 deaths, or 8.6%, last year, diseases of the liver 67 or 6.9% and ischaemic heart diseases 55 or 5.6%.
Other cities with a high number of rough sleepers dying were Birmingham, 29, Cardiff 22, Bristol 18, and 17 in Manchester, Southampton, and Brighton and Hove.
More than eight out of ten homeless people dying were men.
The average age for these individuals passing away was 47.3 for men and 43.2 for women.
