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Jigsaw Homelessness Intelligence · Quarterly Framework

What the Rough Sleeping Data Framework Shows About Rough Sleeping in England, January to March 2026

The Rough Sleeping Data Framework is management information, not Official Statistics. For March 2026 in England, it shows 7,541 people estimated sleeping rough over the month and 3,461 people estimated sleeping rough on a single night.

MHCLG management informationNot Official StatisticsOpen Government Licence v3.0

MHCLG published 2026-05-28 · Reporting period: January to March 2026 (2026-Q1); monthly series to March 2026 · Dataset version 7fd68d9b58a6bb5f (SHA-256 prefix 30c386a0cbb6971f) · Last verified 27 August 2026

What this data measures

Over the month

Everyone estimated to have slept rough at any point during the month. It is always larger than a one-night count because different people sleep rough on different nights.

Single night

People estimated sleeping rough on one chosen night in the month. A framework measure — it is not the annual autumn snapshot, and neither measure equals total annual homelessness.

National picture — March 2026

Every figure below is a deterministic calculation from the official MHCLG data file, checked against the published MHCLG narrative. Nothing is estimated or AI-generated.

Over the month

7,541

People seen sleeping rough over the month

Everyone estimated to have slept rough at some point during March 2026 — a month-long count, not one night.

Over the month

-177

Change on March 2025

Year-on-year change in the over-the-month measure, in people.

Over the month

-2.3%

Change on March 2025 (%)

Year-on-year percentage change in the over-the-month measure.

Over the month

-5.5%

Change on December 2025 (%)

Change against the last month of the previous quarter.

How the two measures differ

Over the month · March 20267,541
Single night · March 20263,461

The single-night figure was 45.9% of the over-the-month figure in March 2026 — the two measures answer different questions and must never be interchanged.

Single night

3,461

People seen sleeping rough on a single night

A framework single-night estimate for March 2026 — NOT the annual autumn snapshot.

Single night

+0.7%

Single-night change on March 2025 (%)

Year-on-year percentage change in the framework single-night measure.

Single night

-1.7%

Single-night change on December 2025 (%)

Change against the last month of the previous quarter.

Relationship between the two framework measures

45.9

Single-night figure as a share of the monthly figure (%)

How the one-night count relates to the month-long count within the SAME framework.

Long-term rough sleeping, flows and returns

Over the month

3,045

Sleeping rough long-term

People sleeping rough long-term over the month.

Over the month

+40.4%

Long-term share of the monthly total (%)

Share of the over-the-month total who are sleeping rough long-term.

Over the month

2,139

New to sleeping rough

People seen sleeping rough for the first time during the month.

Over the month

1,233

Moved into accommodation

People who were sleeping rough and moved into accommodation during the month.

Over the month

711

Recently left an institution

People sleeping rough having recently left prison, hospital or care.

Over the month

1,013

Returned to sleeping rough

People seen sleeping rough again after previously moving away from it.

Over the month

292

Returners from settled accommodation

Returners who had moved into settled accommodation within the previous 12 months.

Regional picture (over the month, March 2026)

Bars show the highest recorded values in this dataset — they reflect raw reported counts only and are not a league table of council performance. Suppressed or unavailable values are labelled, never shown as zero.

London1,778
South East1,104
North West932
South West883
Yorkshire and The Humber672
East of England656
West Midlands614
East Midlands601
North East301
Six-month regional trend table (over the month)
People estimated sleeping rough over the month, by region, October 2025 to March 2026
RegionOctober ’25November ’25December ’25January ’26February ’26March ’26
London2,2672,4432,0822,0071,8271,778
North East311306279249254301
North West1,0121,068877942899932
Yorkshire and The Humber721741705705619672
East Midlands817728648609556601
West Midlands778694642647573614
East of England828790666648623656
South East1,4241,4201,2561,1441,0841,104
South West1,0131,020828820827883

Local authority explorer

All 296 English local authorities, with both measures for the latest six months. Read before citing: these are management-information estimates from a monthly survey — completeness varies by authority, figures may be revised, and a higher count is a raw reported value, not a judgement of council effectiveness. Suppressed and unavailable values are labelled explicitly.

296 of 296 authorities · sorted by March 2026 value (over the month) · counts are raw estimates, not a performance ranking.

Local authority rough sleeping framework values (over the month) for the latest six months
Local authorityRegionOctober ’25November ’25December ’25January ’26February ’26March ’26
WestminsterLondon509611611501501496
LiverpoolNorth West148166158188170197
ManchesterNorth West180162131163165152
SheffieldYorkshire and The Humber145149175173119150
Bristol, City ofSouth West144166140138125146
LeedsYorkshire and The Humber155140128129113131
NottinghamEast Midlands13614914612886128
SomersetSouth West122136115110104124
BirminghamWest Midlands13511010612091115
Stoke-on-TrentWest Midlands104134122137124108
LeicesterEast Midlands12589939792102
CamdenLondon15021012810619197
CornwallSouth West114105789210193
SouthwarkLondon1008782727890
Brighton and HoveSouth East8410285847589
City of LondonLondon14912510211110389
Milton KeynesSouth East908283888187
Newcastle upon TyneNorth East8394103817187
EalingLondon91144851386785
Kingston upon Hull, City ofYorkshire and The Humber818576938383
Bournemouth, Christchurch and PooleSouth West1129386838276
MiddlesbroughNorth East775160557676
ReadingSouth East847887695675
BrentLondon1018984816474
SouthamptonSouth East637158484668
DerbyEast Midlands159106107869066
GloucesterSouth West435259445465
CoventryWest Midlands865475535364
HillingdonLondon9111187927963
YorkYorkshire and The Humber654738434562
GreenwichLondon555544714360
PeterboroughEast of England786637585859
LambethLondon698785626458
OxfordSouth East797265485055
PlymouthSouth West737346564255
Cheshire West and ChesterNorth West799162566054
LutonEast of England775153323754
Southend-on-SeaEast of England946572694554
Tower HamletsLondon10010584795454
Hammersmith and FulhamLondon495644454253
CroydonLondon528876574452
NewhamLondon787073516251
PortsmouthSouth East677462524349
WiganNorth West525043353949
HackneyLondon473237413248
RedbridgeLondon514844536247
WiltshireSouth West646243434545
SandwellWest Midlands524444444343
CambridgeEast of England425434433742
WirralNorth West284742454242
DoncasterYorkshire and The Humber376060493541
West NorthamptonshireEast Midlands606638373541
Kensington and ChelseaLondon423624313240
HaringeyLondon305247414639
North YorkshireYorkshire and The Humber414425383639
BradfordYorkshire and The Humber425348365238
EastbourneSouth East545752332738
HastingsSouth East546040362738
IpswichEast of England342931222838
Blackburn with DarwenNorth West332927312837
North SomersetSouth West273023253636
TorbaySouth West683946383336
ExeterSouth West556340464435
IslingtonLondon615648473535
PrestonNorth West352733232735
StockportNorth West485243404335
BuckinghamshireSouth East443835303034
BuryNorth West252117223334
CanterburySouth East403836323834
LewishamLondon434545482533
ChelmsfordEast of England202524352931
CheltenhamSouth West302724172831
St. HelensNorth West414943393231
South TynesideNorth East141817171830
ThanetSouth East495637333530
Waltham ForestLondon554516452430
BedfordEast of England524124273329
HounslowLondon1117168812629
BoltonNorth West292715161428
CrawleySouth East323719242428
Great YarmouthEast of England322823242328
LincolnEast Midlands442720242728
WolverhamptonWest Midlands614641262028
BlackpoolNorth West313118602927
WandsworthLondon212923202027
WorthingSouth East352531352727
ColchesterEast of England272416202626
MansfieldEast Midlands523633402326
North NorthamptonshireEast Midlands293736232726
NorwichEast of England161724232426
WakefieldYorkshire and The Humber314426341426
BostonEast Midlands182225172125
SolihullWest Midlands322927162125
WalsallWest Midlands302423192425
DorsetSouth West242724172224
BrecklandEast of England202324222423
BromleyLondon151717201523
County DurhamNorth East253018192023
EnfieldLondon352722172523
Westmorland and FurnessNorth West151713112123
WorcesterWest Midlands262323252123
ChesterfieldEast Midlands102620221422
KirkleesYorkshire and The Humber372928203322
Windsor and MaidenheadSouth East25281111922
BarnsleyYorkshire and The Humber182516122021
Telford and WrekinWest Midlands242716261821
Herefordshire, County ofWest Midlands211014192120
MedwaySouth East393936242220
BarnetLondon322921201819
Basingstoke and DeaneSouth East161411112819
Isle of WightSouth East221419151819
Stockton-on-TeesNorth East15218121019
SwindonSouth West222222211719
Bath and North East SomersetSouth West293017201818
BurnleyNorth West201712121018
CharnwoodEast Midlands363214211718
CherwellSouth East292922322318
Cheshire EastNorth West233028292118
WarringtonNorth West17151715918
FenlandEast of England28222020717
GraveshamSouth East221415192017
North East LincolnshireYorkshire and The Humber91122192317
Nuneaton and BedworthWest Midlands222422161717
RugbyWest Midlands211514151417
SalfordNorth West204829281917
ShropshireWest Midlands161718221217
ArunSouth East272625232016
BassetlawEast Midlands111713101416
East SuffolkEast of England443425202316
Folkestone and HytheSouth East242627232216
GatesheadNorth East292125121116
SeftonNorth West11117101416
SloughSouth East283433211816
TorridgeSouth West18151091016
WarwickWest Midlands251717191716
AshfieldEast Midlands2015872115
East LindseyEast Midlands201411161415
North LincolnshireYorkshire and The Humber91015151515
ThurrockEast of England211418141415
WatfordEast of England16138131715
BaberghEast of England51086814
HaltonNorth West121114101314
HarlowEast of England131619121714
HorshamSouth East182116151414
LewesSouth East142010111414
North DevonSouth West1511971114
SunderlandNorth East21191413814
TraffordNorth West201719162014
Barking and DagenhamLondon222217172013
Central BedfordshireEast of England162320141513
GuildfordSouth East232013172113
TamesideNorth West242810181513
West BerkshireSouth East15157111213
East DevonSouth West181311121312
HuntingdonshireEast of England142315171512
Richmond upon ThamesLondon15191010712
St AlbansEast of England141312141212
Stratford-on-AvonWest Midlands201577812
SwaleSouth East352418191412
TendringEast of England141619161212
West SuffolkEast of England11219101112
East Riding of YorkshireYorkshire and The Humber201217171511
ElmbridgeSouth East151530181511
RotherSouth East202317141411
RotherhamYorkshire and The Humber242323251111
StevenageEast of England15221611711
BexleyLondon19121181210
DarlingtonNorth East9101016910
EastleighSouth East791091110
Newark and SherwoodEast Midlands101167810
South OxfordshireSouth East8998810
Welwyn HatfieldEast of England1717711810
BasildonEast of England23272919199
Kingston upon ThamesLondon282410959
Newcastle-under-LymeWest Midlands17281627159
NorthumberlandNorth East22175559
OldhamNorth West20202423179
RochdaleNorth West2324101199
RushcliffeEast Midlands121110649
South HamsSouth West9111210119
AshfordSouth East9101013208
Bracknell ForestSouth East127810108
DartfordSouth East14141314158
KnowsleyNorth West1618117108
LancasterNorth West191914488
New ForestSouth East3681378
North NorfolkEast of England6851168
North TynesideNorth East7756108
North West LeicestershireEast Midlands366428
Reigate and BansteadSouth East91588128
SevenoaksSouth East141112788
South HollandEast Midlands15121412158
Surrey HeathSouth East61096108
WealdenSouth East101613868
WokingSouth East116910158
WychavonWest Midlands10119978
BraintreeEast of England11116977
ChichesterSouth East10991387
FarehamSouth East7559107
HartlepoolNorth East6713877
Malvern HillsWest Midlands654337
MertonLondon15189997
Mid SussexSouth East1069697
North HertfordshireEast of England323327
RushmoorSouth East11491287
South GloucestershireSouth West762957
TandridgeSouth East864667
Vale of White HorseSouth East8811367
West DevonSouth West3853117
BroxtoweEast Midlands011586
DoverSouth East12111010106
RedditchWest Midlands111110996
South CambridgeshireEast of England1211121396
WinchesterSouth East2715199166
WokinghamSouth East121413966
Amber ValleyEast Midlands687935
BroadlandEast of England123015
CalderdaleYorkshire and The Humber798255
DacorumEast of England388865
DudleyWest Midlands979655
FyldeNorth West575645
HavantSouth East654355
HaveringLondon165107105
Hinckley and BosworthEast Midlands744565
LichfieldWest Midlands984425
MaidstoneSouth East7991205
South KestevenEast Midlands10812875
Test ValleySouth East577645
WaverleySouth East7107555
WyreNorth West977555
Wyre ForestWest Midlands975555
AdurSouth East452514
CumberlandNorth West865554
East HertfordshireEast of England51072104
East StaffordshireWest Midlands883554
GedlingEast Midlands521114
HarrowLondon9101010104
HyndburnNorth West349454
Mid SuffolkEast of England887564
SpelthorneSouth East443324
StaffordWest Midlands756774
StroudSouth West374424
TeignbridgeSouth West8125564
TewkesburySouth West154634
Tonbridge and MallingSouth East494554
Tunbridge WellsSouth East552734
Cannock ChaseWest Midlands621123
Castle PointEast of England263343
East HampshireSouth East426443
Epsom and EwellSouth East604123
Mid DevonSouth West253533
Ribble ValleyNorth West331333
RunnymedeSouth East473643
Staffordshire MoorlandsWest Midlands451113
SuttonLondon688723
TamworthWest Midlands333443
UttlesfordEast of England011133
West LindseyEast Midlands521073
Epping ForestEast of England434352
HarboroughEast Midlands523312
High PeakEast Midlands676122
Oadby and WigstonEast Midlands020012
PendleNorth West664132
Redcar and ClevelandNorth East3111592
South NorfolkEast of England743332
Three RiversEast of England333312
West LancashireNorth West442022
West OxfordshireSouth East530222
BlabyEast Midlands112321
BolsoverEast Midlands221211
BrentwoodEast of England444521
BromsgroveWest Midlands452241
BroxbourneEast of England430011
East CambridgeshireEast of England141111
ErewashEast Midlands332311
GosportSouth East552321
HertsmereEast of England324331
King's Lynn and West NorfolkEast of England533231
Mole ValleySouth East365311
RochfordEast of England000001
RutlandEast Midlands001111
South RibbleNorth West221111
ChorleyNorth West321320
CotswoldSouth West110010
Derbyshire DalesEast Midlands221420
Forest of DeanSouth West110000
HartSouth East000000
Isles of ScillySouth West000000
MaldonEast of England332110
MeltonEast Midlands010000
North East DerbyshireEast Midlands433620
North KestevenEast Midlands022110
North WarwickshireWest Midlands000000
RossendaleNorth West002210
South DerbyshireEast Midlands121000
South StaffordshireWest Midlands000000

Analysis

This briefing uses MHCLG Rough Sleeping Data Framework figures for England in March 2026. It distinguishes between the over-the-month measure and the single-night measure, which are separate framework measures and must not be conflated.
- 7,541 people were estimated sleeping rough over the month in March 2026. - That was 177 fewer than in March 2025, a fall of 2.3%. - It was 5.5% lower than December 2025. - 3,461 people were estimated sleeping rough on a single night in March 2026. - That was 0.7% higher than in March 2025. - It was 1.7% lower than in December 2025. - The single-night figure of 3,461 is 45.9% of the over-the-month figure of 7,541. - 3,045 people were recorded as sleeping rough long-term over the month in March 2026. - That is 40.4% of the over-the-month total. - 2,139 people were new to sleeping rough over the month in March 2026. - 1,233 people moved into accommodation over the month. - 711 people were sleeping rough after recently leaving an institution. - 1,013 people were returning to sleeping rough over the month. - 292 of those returners had previously moved into settled accommodation in the preceding 12 months.
The Rough Sleeping Data Framework is management information from a monthly local authority survey, not Official Statistics. The over-the-month measure is not a single-night count, and the single-night measure is not the annual autumn snapshot. These figures should not be combined with the annual autumn snapshot or temporary accommodation statistics without an explicitly defined and compatible methodology.
Jigsaw Homelessness Intelligence analysis of MHCLG, Rough Sleeping Data Framework, January to March 2026. Underlying government data used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
For journalists, councils and housing teams: explore the regional and local-authority data, download the underlying analysis and use the citation tools available through Jigsaw Homelessness Intelligence.

Annual snapshot vs Rough Sleeping Data Framework

Annual Snapshot

A single-night estimate taken once each autumn, published as Official Statistics. Read our autumn 2025 snapshot analysis.

Rough Sleeping Data Framework (this page)

More frequent management information with monthly over-the-month and single-night measures. Collected differently, for a different purpose.

These are separate dataset families. They are not interchangeable, must never be added or differenced against each other, and neither includes temporary accommodation, which is a third, entirely separate dataset.

Methodology & limitations

  • The framework is compiled from a monthly survey of local authorities in England; it is classified as management information, not Official Statistics.
  • Management information collected via a monthly survey of local authorities — NOT Official Statistics.
  • Figures are estimates; data quality and completeness vary by authority and month, and figures may be revised in later releases (see MHCLG revisions policy).
  • 'Over the month' counts are NOT single-night counts — the two measures answer different questions and must not be interchanged.
  • The framework's monthly single-night measure is NOT automatically interchangeable with the annual autumn snapshot, which uses a different collection and purpose.
  • Neither measure equals total annual homelessness, and neither should be conflated with temporary accommodation statistics (a separate dataset).
  • Percentage changes are computed deterministically to 1 decimal place; MHCLG's narrative rounds to whole percentages.
  • Figures may be revised in subsequent quarterly releases per the MHCLG technical notes.
  • Suppressed, unavailable and not-applicable values are preserved exactly as published — we never infer, impute or zero-fill them.
  • Full technical detail: MHCLG technical notes.

Download & cite this analysis

Citation:

Jigsaw Homelessness Intelligence analysis of MHCLG Rough Sleeping Data Framework, January to March 2026.

Underlying data: Rough sleeping data framework, January to March 2026 (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Crown data remains Crown copyright — Jigsaw does not own the underlying government data. Corrections: contact the data desk.

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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Crown data remains Crown copyright.