'Staggering increase' in the number of deaths of homeless people in Yorkshire during pandemic, campaigners say

Almost sixty people died while homeless during 2020 in Yorkshire after what campaigners describe as a “staggering increase” in deaths during the pandemic, new figures show.

Hull saw the greatest number of deaths in Yorkshire, with sixteen people dying, followed by Leeds, which had eleven deaths.

The figures include the deaths of people who were living on the streets, sofa surfing, and in emergency or temporary accommodation for people who are homeless, and were collected by campaigners at the Museum of Homelessness as part of their Dying Homeless Project.

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There were further deaths in Wakefield, where nine died, Doncaster, where four people died, and Kirklees, which saw three deaths.

Figures reveal 59 homeless people died during 2020.Figures reveal 59 homeless people died during 2020.
Figures reveal 59 homeless people died during 2020.

Some 59 people died in Yorkshire according to the figures, with smaller numbers of deaths in York, Harrogate, Rotherham and Scarborough.

The campaign surveyed local authorities for the figures via freedom of information requests.

There was a 37 per cent rise in deaths of homeless people in the UK over 2020, the charity said, with a homeless person dying every nine-and-a-half hours.

Some 976 people died while homeless nationwide.

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Less than three per cent of deaths were directly attributed to coronavirus after the government’s Everyone In scheme saw virtually all rough sleepers moved off the streets.

But the campaign has said cuts to welfare and housing provision before the pandemic had a significant impact on the number of deaths.

Some 36 per cent of deaths were related to drug and alcohol use and 15 per cent died by suicide.

The campaign has now called for the government to increase spending on council houses and support services by at least £1billion.

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Jess Turtle, co-founder of Museum of Homelessness said: “A hotel or hostel room is no substitute for a safe home.

"The government touts Everyone In as a runaway success. But it didn’t stop a staggering increase in the number of people dying while homeless– despite the best efforts of our colleagues around the country who worked 24 hours a day on emergency response.

“These heart-breaking findings demonstrate how the pandemic hit a system already cut to the bone from 10 years of austerity and the scale of the challenge we face to recover.

"The government needs to stop repackaging old funding commitments as new support and do more to stop this terrible loss of life.”

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The campaign is asking people to light candles tomorrow to remember all those who died while homeless in 2020.

A Hull City Council spokesperson said: “Hull City Council has enough accommodation to ensure that nobody has to sleep rough on the streets.

"Of those who sadly died last year, 16 were in hostels or temporary accommodation. We also ensure services report all cases so we have a holistic view and that may also explain why we are seeing increased figures.”

A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said that every death of someone sleeping rough on our streets “is a tragedy”.

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They added: “We agree a safe home for all is vital - that’s why we’re providing over £700 million this year and £750 million next year to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, including delivering 3,300 long-term homes this year.

"The latest figures show that our ongoing Everyone In initiative had housed 33,000 people, supporting 23,000 into settled accommodation or with move on support - and it will continue to protect thousands of lives.”