Rough sleeper
deaths soar

more homeless people died in Manchester than in any other local authority area in England and Wales in 2017.
In 2017, 21 homeless people died in Manchester. In comparison, there were 18 deaths in Birmingham and 17 in Liverpool. Overall, 136 people died in London – which is made up of 33 local authorities.
Official rough sleeping counts in Manchester have soared from seven people in 2010 to 123 in 2018.
While Manchester’s raw numbers are the highest in the country, many smaller places with particularly severe problems recorded higher rates, with Blackburn, Barrow-in-Furness and Canterbury all recording among the highest figures per 100,000 residents.
However, Manchester still recorded the 15th highest death rate out of more than 650 authorities, while the north west as a whole had the worst rate in the country.
With Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham pledging to end rough sleeping in the city by 2020, today’s figures show just how much work remains.