More than 4,000 people have died while homeless in the UK since 2019, according to campaigners, many in unregulated taxpayer-funded ‘exempt’ accommodation.
Research by the Museum of Homelessness (MoH) shows the number of people dying while homeless in the UK reached 1313 in 2022, an 85% increase over 2019.
The survey asked for the first time about deaths in exempt accommodation, defined by the Government as a type of supported housing that is does not have to comply with the usual regulations.
The group says many exempt providers are abusing the system for financial gain, providing little or no support whilst leaving tenants in poorly managed and dangerous accommodation.
MoH director Matt Turtle said ‘The fact that so many people continue to die in unregulated, tax payer funded accommodation run by rogue landlords is a disgrace.
‘The upcoming Supported Housing (regulatory oversight) Bill will provide an urgently needed framework to regulate the rogues but its clear local authorities won’t have the resources they need to implement it.
'The Government needs to move past piecemeal measures to address both the immediate crisis and the lack of social housing that causes it.’
