DEATHS among homeless people have hit a record high after rising by 9 per cent in a year, researchers said today.

Eleven children, including four babies less than one-year-old, were among at least 1,611 deaths in 2024, the Museum of Homelessness found.

The total was up from 1,474 deaths in 2023 and 1,313 deaths in 2022, with the number of children who died in 2024 also up from four in 2023.

Researchers said that the true scale of child deaths and homelessness rates was likely to be higher than its figures show as some local authorities might only record when the person who has applied for homelessness help dies in temporary accommodation, rather than all the members of their family.

The museum has been running the Dying Homeless Project since 2019 and gathers its data each year through freedom of information requests, coroner inquests and memorials submitted by bereaved family members.

Project director Matthew Turtle said that the data “shows how homeless people continue to be deeply failed” and called for “urgent action from the government to alleviate this crisis.”

Gill Taylor, also from the project, said: “With heavy hearts, we report the deaths of 1,611 people who died whilst homeless in 2024.

“Whilst it is positive that local authorities and safeguarding adult boards appear to be taking the issue more seriously, with better reporting and evidence of improved local partnership working to prevent deaths, turning the tide on this enormous loss of life needs more than better counting.”

Francesca Albanese of the Crisis charity described the figures as “heartbreaking” and said they “must drive home the need for the Westminster government to urgently come forward with an ambitious strategy to end homelessness.”

Living in temporary accommodation such as bed and breakfasts, hostels or other short-term housing organised by a local authority has been counted as homelessness.

The latest government figures, published in July, show that the number of households in temporary accommodation in England climbed to a new record high of 131,140 at the end of March.

Minister for Homelessness Alison McGovern said that such deaths must be seen as an “abject failure that cannot be tolerated.”