Official figures published by City Hall show a significant reduction in the number of young adults sleeping rough in London. Between April and June 2026, 202 people aged 18 to 25 were recorded sleeping rough, a 45% decrease compared to the 366 recorded in the same period last year.
The data from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (Chain) indicates that young adults made up 5.1% of all rough sleeping cases during this quarter. Overall, outreach teams recorded 3,959 individuals on London's streets, marking a 10% annual decrease.
City Hall stated that these figures demonstrate the mayor's policies are "having an impact." Sir Sadiq Khan has pledged to end rough sleeping by 2030. Lisa Doyle from Centre Point, a youth homelessness charity, commented that the sharp fall among young people proves "that rough sleeping can be ended."
The No Second Night Out initiative was highlighted in the Chain report, with 77% of new rough sleepers successfully prevented from spending a second night on the streets. Of the 1,685 individuals seen rough sleeping for the first time this quarter, 3% joined the long-term street population.
The number of long-term rough sleepers rose by 6% compared to the previous quarter, reaching 680 individuals, but remains 14% lower than in the April to June period last year. British citizens constituted a growing share of London's street population, making up 54% of those whose nationality was recorded, an increase from 50% in the previous three months.