BRITAIN’S homelessness shame deepened today after the number of known rough sleepers in London rose by almost a fifth in a year.

The total of 4,780 people, counted on the capital’s streets between July and September, is the highest ever recorded by the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (Chain) statistics since its quarterly records began in 2009.

The latest count, commissioned by the London Mayor’s Office, is a year-on-year increase of 18 per cent  and is up 13 per cent from 4,223 compared to the period between April and June 2024.