Homelessness<\/a> and Information Network), which records information on rough sleeping, reported an increase in people in this age bracket sleeping rough in London from 450 at the beginning of 2024 to 713 at the end of 2025.<\/p>\nAlexander Brown, the director of Soup Kitchen London, has seen \u201ca clear increase\u201d in the number of over-65s over the last two years, with this group now about 20% of the 200 people the charity helps each morning. They cite the rising cost of food and utilities, along with poor physical health and isolation, as factors.<\/p>\n
The Greater Change charity, which has supported Hewett with a grant, said that over the last four years the median age among the people it supports had increased by more than eight years.<\/p>\n
Its chief executive, Jonathan Tan, first observed this in 2024 when the proportion of over-55s it helped doubled to 12%, from 6% in 2023. It has remained above 10% since.<\/p>\n
He said older clients were rarely pushed into homelessness by a single event. Instead, \u201closs, ill health, financial pressure and systemic gaps\u201d pushed people into crisis, compounded by rising living costs, the loss of employment later in life and limited opportunities to re-enter the workforce, he said.<\/p>\n
Navigating benefits and pensions through complex online systems could be overwhelming for many older people, he added, with support often arriving too late when they were already in crisis.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do think it will get worse \u2026 temporary accommodation is already under severe pressure and there is very little flexibility in the system,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Jess Harris, who researches homelessness at King\u2019s College London, said there were two main cohorts of older homeless people: those at \u201cthe sharp end of need\u201d who have experienced multiple adverse events \u2013 often addiction, mental illness and childhood trauma \u2013 who have lived on and off the streets for decades, and those more recently pushed into temporary homelessness.<\/p>\n
Older people tend to be pushed into homelessness by several events, the head of a charity said. Photograph: Mike Kemp\/In Pictures\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
The problem is compounded by an under-researched \u201csocial care gap\u201d, which perpetuates homelessness by failing to prevent and manage complex health problems, with older people living in hostels receiving health and social care \u201cin establishments that really weren\u2019t designed for these populations\u201d, she said.<\/p>\n
Morgan Vine, the director of policy at Independent Age, said the rise in older homelessness was \u201clinked to the growing number of older people who find themselves living in the private rented sector\u201d, with one-third of older private renters in poverty after housing costs.<\/p>\n
Although average UK rent has risen by 10.5% since April 2024, housing benefit has been frozen since 2024, which she urged the government to address.<\/p>\n
This was the experience for Sarah*, in her mid-60s. She ended up sofa surfing with friends and family after a relationship breakdown, and \u2013 like Hewett \u2013 learned that her benefits would not cover monthly rent or a deposit. She found herself in a double bind when her benefits were stopped due to the lack of a fixed address.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t recommend it to anybody, because you\u2019d be sleeping on sofas and things like that. You\u2019ve got to keep on moving around every three nights,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s difficult for older people now, especially if they don\u2019t have friends and family to help them. They can\u2019t afford much with prices going up \u2026 The government should help older people more to find a place to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Ministry of Housing<\/a>, Communities & Local Government spokesperson said: \u201cNo one deserves to experience homelessness. That is why we are taking action to prevent homelessness and investing \u00a33.6bn in homelessness and rough sleeping services.<\/p>\n\u201cWe\u2019re also tackling the root cause of homelessness by building 1.5m new homes and investing \u00a339bn in social and affordable housing. Our Renters\u2019 Rights Act will also empower private tenants to challenge excessive rent hikes and give tenants the added security that they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n
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