Homelessness accommodation provision and rough sleeping: August 2023

Background

This monthly data collection was introduced during the coronavirus (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.

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. 

The figures for the latest month should be treated as provisional. These data have not undergone the same level of quality assurance as official statistics and the data may be revised in future. 

Where revisions have occurred since the publication of last month’s data, figures will differ from those previously published. Please use the most recent data, available to download in the ‘Data’ section below, to ensure the figures you use are up to date. Figures that have been revised since previously published are marked with an [r]. 

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.

For October data onwards we will be publishing data in Table 2: Number of homeless individuals in temporary accommodation at the end of the month, by local authority as well as by accommodation type. In addition, all data will move from the current spreadsheet format to StatsWales under the Homelessness section. This change will take place in January 2024.

Suspension of the Rough Sleepers Count 2023

The national rough sleeper count was suspended in 2020 to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chief Statistician has decided to suspend the 2023 count due to the availability of rough sleeper data through this monthly homelessness data publication and to reduce demand on resources at local authorities and Welsh Government.

We will consider the long-term future of the rough sleeper count and engage with users prior to the 2024 count.

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, there were 1,779 occurrences of homeless people placed into temporary accommodation during the month, 244 more than in July 2023. Of these, 480 were dependent children aged under 16, 68 more than in July 2023.
• Of the placements into temporary accommodation during August 2023, most occurrences came from ‘Other’ circumstances (791 occurrences), followed by ‘Moved from other unsuitable accommodation’ (647 occurrences). ^{[footnote 1]}
• At 31 August 2023, 11,185 individuals were in temporary accommodation, 254 more than at 31 July 2023. 3,413 of these were dependent children aged under 16, 63 more than at 31 July 2023.
• The type of accommodation temporarily housing the most individuals at the end of August 2023 was ‘bed and breakfasts and hotels’ with 3,646 individuals, of which 996 were dependent children under 16.
• Between the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and the end of August 2023, over 41,200 people who were previously homeless have been supported into emergency temporary accommodation. ^{[footnote 2]}                                                   

Homeless individuals moved into suitable long-term accommodation

• In August 2023, 648 homeless individuals were moved into suitable long-term accommodation, 39 fewer than in July 2023. Of the individuals moved into suitable long-term accommodation, 241 were dependent children aged under 16, 34 fewer than in July 2023.

Rough sleeping

• As at 31 August 2023, there were an estimated 167 individuals sleeping rough throughout Wales. This is 7 fewer than the 174 individuals sleeping rough at 31 July 2023. ^{[footnote 3]}
• As at 31 August 2023, Cardiff (43), Newport (31), Pembrokeshire (18), Ceredigion (13), Gwynedd (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 3]} 

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] ‘Other’ circumstances refers to reasons other than moved off street, previously sofa surfing, moved from other unsuitable accommodation and prison leavers.

[2] This figure is calculated and not shown in the accompanying data set.

[3]Local authorities are asked to base these estimates on local intelligence, not a one-night count.