At least 51 children, the majority under a year old, were among 1,700 people who died while homeless in the UK last year, a social justice charity has said.

At least 51 children, the majority under a year old, were among 1,700 people who died while homeless in the UK last year, a social justice charity has said.

It is the highest number of child deaths recorded since the Dying Homeless Project started in 2017, which is run by the Museum of Homelessness.

Many of the overall deaths occurred in emergency accommodation, the charity said, proving that “moving people indoors does not automatically make them safe”.

Working with the National Child Mortality Database, the project found that 61% of the children who died were less than a year old, while only seven children were identified as homeless by councils. The Museum of Homelessness said the findings raise questions about how the deaths of children living in temporary accommodation are recorded by local authorities.

In total, the project identified 1,720 people who died while homeless in 2025 across the UK – an increase of 6.8% on the previous year. More than 10,000 deaths have been recorded since the project began almost a decade ago in 2017.

For 2025, 197 people who had died were found to be missing from local authority records, equivalent to one in 10 of the deaths.

“Local authorities are under-reporting the true scale of homeless deaths,” the charity said.

Meanwhile, 214 people died while rough sleeping or “with no fixed abode”, it added. Almost one third (30%) of deaths occurred while people were sleeping on the streets or in accommodation assigned to people who had been recently sleeping rough.

“Deaths of despair” caused by drugs, alcohol and suicide accounted for half (52%) of all homeless deaths, the charity said, adding that “recovery, harm reduction and mental health services need urgent investment”.

Deaths rose sharply in both England and Scotland, at 8% and 38% respectively, while Wales and Northern Ireland showed a downward trend.

The findings are part of a preliminary release, with the museum’s full report expected 14 October.

In July, as his first act as prime minister, Andy Burnham promised to end rough sleeping, with plans to get people temporarily off the streets in time for Christmas.

Mairi Macrae of homeless charity Shelter described the new figures as “unspeakable”. And said it was time for a “national reckoning”.

She added: “With winter setting in, the government’s drive to end rough sleeping by Christmas is the right one.

“People need safe emergency accommodation, specialist support and, crucially, permanent social homes where they can truly rebuild their lives.”

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