Homelessness accommodation provision and rough sleeping: December 2020

This monthly collection replaces the weekly gathering of intelligence 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.

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 (from November 2020). For data on use of accommodation, we are initially publishing data at the Wales-level only. We are still assessing and understanding the quality of the data being collected. In future, we will consider publishing other breakdowns where possible, including by local authority.

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

It is important to note the following differences between this new monthly 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.

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

For November 2020 and earlier months, please note that data on use of temporary accommodation has been revised.

• Throughout Wales, 919 people presenting as homeless were placed into temporary accommodation during the month, 99 fewer than in November 2020. Of these, 107 were dependent children aged under 16, a decrease of 39 from November 2020. (a)(b)
• At 31 December 2020, 5,501 individuals were in temporary accommodation, a decrease of 94 from 30 November 2020. 1,187 of these were dependent children aged under 16, a decrease of 83 from 30 November 2020. (b)(c)

(a) One local authority did not include ‘homeless at home’.
(b) One local authority reported households, not persons. Therefore, there will be a small undercount in the total figures presented.
(c) Two local authorities were unable to obtain data from women’s refuges in their local authorities.

Homeless individuals moved into suitable long-term accommodation

• 545 homeless individuals were moved into suitable long-term accommodation, 27 fewer than in November 2020. Of the individuals moved into suitable long-term accommodation, 181 were dependent children aged under 16, an increase of 25 from November 2020. (d)

(d) One local authority reported households, not persons. Therefore, there will be a small undercount in the total figures presented.

Rough sleeping

• At 31 December 2020, there were 61 individuals sleeping rough throughout Wales. This is a decrease from the 96 individuals sleeping rough at 30 November 2020. (e)(f)
• As at 31 December 2020, Newport (11), Caerphilly (10), Cardiff (7) and Torfaen (5) were the local authorities reporting the highest numbers of individuals sleeping rough. All other local authorities reported fewer than five individuals sleeping rough, with seven local authorities reporting zero. (e)

(e) Local authorities are asked to base these estimates on local intelligence, not a one-night count.
(f) Caerphilly County Borough Council was unable to provide an estimate for 30 November 2020. The council agreed that an estimate as at 31 October be used for 30 November.