New government figures published today show that the number of households experiencing homelessness has risen again, reversing the fall recorded in the previous quarter.
The latest statistics show that 135,580 households were in temporary accommodation between January and March 2026, an increase of 1.1% from 134,210 in the previous reporting period and 3.6% from the same time last year.
The previous fall was the first recorded since 2022 and offered some hope that years of rising homelessness and increasing reliance on temporary accommodation may finally have begun to ease.
Today’s figures show how fragile that progress was. More individuals and families are once again facing homelessness, while the number of households living in temporary accommodation is at an all-time high.
Temporary accommodation is supposed to provide a short-term safety net. Instead, many households remain there for months or years, often without any certainty about when they will have a permanent home.
Christa Maciver, Director of Campaigns and Social Change at Justlife, said:
“It is deeply concerning to see homelessness rising again after the welcome fall recorded last quarter. That reduction offered some hope, but today’s figures make clear that the crisis is far from over and that action to prevent homelessness must be strengthened.
“We have to look to the 135,580 households who are still living in temporary accommodation. That means hundreds of thousands of people are relying on a system with no consistent guarantee of basic standards, where the quality of the accommodation and support available can vary dramatically depending on where they are placed.
“Temporary accommodation will remain a fact of life for hundreds of thousands of people for the foreseeable future. We urgently need a consistent national approach, with enforceable standards for every household. Your postcode should never determine whether the temporary accommodation you are placed in is acceptable or unsafe.”
People living in temporary accommodation can face poor conditions, isolation and serious disruption to their health, education, employment and relationships. The longer households remain there, the greater the risk that these problems become more difficult to overcome.
Justlife is calling for greater investment in homelessness prevention, enforceable national standards and proper support for people living in temporary accommodation, alongside faster routes into safe and settled housing.
Last quarter’s fall showed that the figures can move in the right direction. This renewed increase must be met with urgent action to prevent more people becoming homeless and ensure that everyone placed in temporary accommodation receives the safe, suitable and supported housing they deserve.
The full statistics are available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statutory-homelessness-in-england-january-to-march-2026/statutory-homelessness-in-england-january-to-march-2026
