Rising private rents are being identified by the government as one of several factors contributing to homelessness and rough sleeping across England.
Homelessness Minister Florence Eshalomi said poverty, the availability of housing and affordability were among the underlying causes of homelessness and rough sleeping.
Her comments came in response to a parliamentary question about whether the government had assessed the impact of private rental prices on the number of people sleeping rough.
The issue comes as ministers prepare a new package of measures aimed at helping people move off the streets, with the government setting an ambition to end rough sleeping by Christmas.
Rising Rents Create Greater Pressure
Independent MP James McMurdock asked the government what assessment had been made of the relationship between private rents and rough sleeping.
In her response, Eshalomi highlighted the difficulties faced by people on lower incomes as rental costs continue to increase.
The government’s National Plan to End Homelessness recognises that rising rents and insecurity within the private rented sector can make it harder for people with limited incomes to maintain a home.
Eshalomi also pointed to changes introduced through the Renters’ Rights Act, including the abolition of Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions.
Other measures include giving tenants greater protection against unreasonable rent increases, banning rental bidding and preventing landlords from requiring large amounts of rent in advance from people trying to secure a property.
Government Steps Up Efforts to End Rough Sleeping
The government’s response comes alongside a £442 million package designed to reduce rough sleeping and provide people with more support.
The funding will help provide emergency accommodation, alongside assistance with housing, healthcare and other needs.
The aim is to give people sleeping rough a route into more secure accommodation rather than simply addressing the immediate problem of people being on the streets.
However, the scale of the challenge remains significant, particularly in London.
Rough Sleeping Remains High in London
Despite the government’s commitment to ending rough sleeping, recent figures show that the number of people sleeping on London’s streets remains substantially higher than it was several years ago.
Data from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) recorded 3,959 people sleeping rough in London between April and June 2026.
The figure was 10% lower than during the same period in 2025, suggesting some recent improvement.
However, rough sleeping was still 53% higher than five years earlier and 47% higher than a decade ago.
This highlights the longer-term challenge facing policymakers, even as the latest annual figures show a reduction.
Rental Affordability and Homelessness
The government’s comments underline the connection between housing costs and homelessness.
When rents rise faster than household incomes, people on lower wages or with limited financial support can face increasing difficulty maintaining a tenancy.
A lack of affordable properties can also leave households with fewer options if they lose their existing accommodation.
For landlords, the issue adds to the wider debate around rental affordability and regulation. Measures designed to protect tenants need to be balanced against the need to maintain a viable private rented sector and ensure landlords continue to provide homes.
The government will now face pressure to demonstrate whether its housing and homelessness policies can make a lasting difference.
While the recent fall in London’s rough sleeping figures is encouraging, the longer-term increase shows that affordability, housing supply and wider support needs remain significant challenges.
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