Homelessness accommodation provision and rough sleeping: April 2023

Background

This monthly data collection was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It covers temporary accommodation and provision of long-term accommodation for people who present to local authorities for housing support as they are at risk of homelessness.

This data has not undergone the same level of quality assurance as official statistics and the data may be revised in future.

The figures for the latest month should be treated as provisional. Not all local authorities have been able to provide comprehensive data and this is reflected, where relevant, in the footnotes.

For the estimates of rough sleeping, we publish a breakdown by local authority. For data on use of accommodation, we are initially publishing data at the Wales-level only.

Planned developments

Following user feedback we are currently developing this publication which is based on management information. We are continuing to work closely with local authorities to strengthen the data collection guidance and improve data quality.

From July, we will expand the data published in accompanying data tables 1 and 2 at a Wales level:

Table 1: Number of homeless individuals placed into temporary accommodation in the month – additionally publish a breakdown of main reason for homelessness.

Table 2: Number of homeless individuals in temporary accommodation at the end of the month – additionally publish a breakdown on type of temporary accommodation.

We are working towards publishing an expanded range of data, including at the local authority level, later in 2023.  Further information about additional changes will be provided in future publications.

Main points

Comparisons over time

At this stage, it is important not to put too much emphasis on data for an individual month or comparisons with previous months. This monthly collection of management information and the guidance provided is continuing to be refined and improved.

Use of temporary accommodation

• Throughout Wales, 1,376 people presenting as homeless were placed into temporary accommodation during the month, 380 fewer than in March 2023. Of these, 355 were dependent children aged under 16, 182 fewer than in March 2023. ^{[footnote 1] [footnote 2]}
• At 30 April 2023, 10,444 individuals were in temporary accommodation, 205 more than that at 31 March 2023. 3,214 of these were dependent children aged under 16, 88 more than that at 31 March 2023. ^{[footnote 3]}
• Between the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the end of April 2023, over 36,000 people who were previously homeless have been supported into emergency temporary accommodation. ^{[footnote 1]}

Homeless individuals moved into suitable long-term accommodation

• In April 2023, 649 homeless individuals were moved into suitable long-term accommodation, 174 fewer than in March 2023. Of the individuals moved into suitable long-term accommodation, 255 were dependent children aged under 16, 16 fewer than in March 2023.

Rough sleeping

• As at 30 April 2023, there were an estimated 126 individuals sleeping rough throughout Wales. This is 9 fewer than the 135 individuals sleeping rough at 31 March 2023. ^{[footnote 4]}
• As at 30 April 2023, Newport (23), Cardiff (20), Pembrokeshire (16), Bridgend (10) and Swansea (10) were the local authorities reporting the highest numbers of individuals sleeping rough. All other local authorities reported 9, or fewer, individuals sleeping rough, with five local authorities reporting zero. ^{[footnote 4]}

Ability to compare with statutory homelessness statistics and the rough sleeper count

It is important to note the following differences between this monthly management data collection and our existing data collections and publications on statutory homelessness:

• This monthly data relates to the number of individuals experiencing homelessness and being supported by local authorities into temporary accommodation or suitable long-term accommodation.
• Our quarterly and annual collections on statutory homelessness capture data on number of households, not individuals. That data relates to homelessness as defined by the Housing (Wales) Act 2014.

In addition, we do not recommend comparisons between the rough sleeping estimates from this monthly collection and the annual rough sleeper count (up to November 2019). In this monthly collection, local authorities are asked to base their estimates on local intelligence. The annual rough sleeper count has a different methodology: a two-week information gathering exercise, followed by a one-night snapshot count.

Footnotes

[1] One local authority did not include ‘homeless at home’.
[2] This figure is calculated and not shown in the accompanying data set.
[3] Two local authorities were unable to obtain data from women’s refuges in their local authority.
[4] Local authorities are asked to base these estimates on local intelligence, not a one-night count.