‘Rough sleeping’s soaring. Will defence spending help homeless veterans?’

New data out today shows that rough sleeping has hit a post-pandemic high. Last year nearly 4,667 people were sleeping rough on a single night in Autumn. Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) analysis shows this is a rise of 20% since 2023 and a 91% rise since 2021.

Since 2021, the number of people sleeping rough on our streets has been rising year on year. These statistics only capture a single night in Autumn. The real number over the entire year is likely to be much higher. Today’s figures show that all the progress made during the pandemic to house rough sleepers has been wiped out.

Behind these numbers are real people. Men and women who have often faced the most severe disadvantage, like mental health problems, addiction to drugs and alcohol, childhood trauma and histories of violence and domestic abuse.

Rough sleeping is not only a fiscal problem, costing the taxpayer an estimated £20,128 per person every year, but a human catastrophe and societal failure. Life expectancy for rough sleepers is just 45 for men and 43 for women, lower than the worst performing countries in the world.

‘We too often forget the people behind the numbers’

Today, all attention is rightly on defence spending and increasing the size and capabilities of our armed forces. However, we too often forget the people behind the numbers. In 2022, the Veterans Survey found that one in 400 veterans were homeless, rough sleeping or living in a refuge for domestic abuse.

In response, Operation Fortitude was launched as a guaranteed referral pathway to house homeless veterans. It has been an enormous success, supporting 398 individuals into housing in it’s first year.

The government’s commitment to renewing this programme is incredibly welcome. Despite success there is more to do. Veterans are not immune to societal trends, and there will no doubt be some caught up in the rough sleeping surge revealed today.

READ MORE: Defence boost derails aid boost pledged in manifesto as Dodds dealt a blow

To tackle rough sleeping for good a different approach is needed. That’s why the CSJ is calling for a national rollout of Housing First which provides housing to rough sleepers facing the toughest challenges, like mental health issues and addiction, without any conditions, other than the commitment to keep their tenancy.

Once they have a stable place to live, we can then offer intensive, personalised support to help them rebuild their lives.

This is in stark contrast to the traditional process which involves moving through the hostel and supported housing system, demonstrating tenancy readiness before accessing mainstream housing. This approach has failed many people, including many of the most vulnerable veterans, who repeatedly fall in and out of contact with public services.

‘More must be done if we are to end rough sleeping for good’

In 2018, the government launched three Housing First pilots in Manchester, Liverpool and the West Midlands. They have been an overwhelming success.

Most rough sleepers are now in stable housing and doing much better. A cost-benefit analysis found that the pilots delivered good value for money, a 2.1 benefit through improvements in personal well-being and reductions in public service costs.

Despite this, the government has been hesitant to take responsibility for a national rollout.

READ MORE: ‘Love it or loathe it, aid cuts and defence cash play well on the doorstep’

A cash-strapped government will always face the temptation to funnel money into quick fixes rather than long-term solutions, which are often more expensive upfront but provide much greater value in the end.

Rolling out Housing First would cost £150 million per year. In the coming days, we’ll hear a lot about defence spending, including the £13.4 billion increase needed to raise it to 2.5% of GDP from 2027. A national Housing First offer would cost just 1% of that.

We’ve come a long way in housing our veteran rough sleepers, a journey we can be proud of. But more must be done if we are to end rough sleeping for good. With programmes like Housing First, no one will be forced to sleep on the streets.

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