Number of Rough Sleepers Rises Again In England

A 6 per cent rise in the number of people sleeping rough is condemned by national homelessness charity Crisis.  The CLG have revealed that 2,309 people were reported by local councils across the country as sleeping rough on one night in Autumn 2012, up from 2,181 in the previous year’s count. This is on top of last year’s rise of 23%.  The figures come as transitional measures for those affected by housing benefit cuts have come to an end and ahead of new benefit cuts in April that Crisis warns will drive homelessness yet higher.  Read more on the Crisis website.