New figures have been released showing a significant rise in the number of deaths of homeless people in England and Wales.

The estimates, from the Office of National Statistics, state that 597 homeless people died in 2017, an increase of 24 per cent over the last five years.

The figures also show men made up 84 per cent of deaths, and the leading causes were drug poisoning, liver disease, and suicide.

Work on the latest ONS figures was prompted by research from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in October, which found that at least 449 homeless people had died in the UK in the previous 12 months.

Drug poisoning, suicide and alcohol

Of the 597 deaths of homeless people in England and Wales in 2017, 491 were definitely identified in the death registration data – the remainder were estimated.

The total represents an increase of 115 deaths since the 2013 estimate, which was 482.

A total of 190 deaths were believed to be caused by drug poisoning, while 62 deaths were attributed to alcohol-specific causes, and suicide accounted for 78 deaths.

“Our findings show a pattern of deaths among homeless people that is strikingly different from the general population,” said Ben Humberstone,

Head of Health and Life Events at the Office for National Statistics. “More than half were related to drug poisoning, suicide, or alcohol, causes that made up only 3% of overall deaths last year.”

Locations of deaths

London and the North West of England had the highest mortality rates among homeless people, both in numbers of deaths and per million population of the region.

North-east England 32 (up 71%)

North-west England 119 (up 115%)

Yorkshire and the Humber 49 (up 58%)

East Midlands 34 (up 38%)

West Midlands 45 (up 11%)

East of England 33 (up 16%)

London 136 (up 2%)

South-east England 84 (up 7%)

South-west England 52 (up 6%)

Wales 13 (down 40%)

Political reaction

The Local Government Association said ending homelessness was becoming “increasingly difficult” with a funding gap, as it called for “proper resourcing”.

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson described the death toll’s jump as “abhorrent”.

Crisis chief executive Jon Sparkes said: “This is nothing short of a national tragedy – especially when we know that homelessness is not inevitable.

“In one of the world’s wealthiest countries, no one should be dying because of homelessness.

It’s imperative that governments act now to stop this tragedy once and for all.” Shelter campaign director Greg Beales called the deaths “a source of national shame”.

“There is nothing inevitable about homelessness or about these tragic deaths which are a consequence of a housing system which fails too many people,” he added.

The charity blamed a “crippling shortage of social housing” as well as a “threadbare safety net”, as it called on the Government to change tack to end the scourge.

Recent death near parliament

The news comes the day after a man was found to have died outside parliament while homeless.

Sir Keir Starmer told MPs about the death in the House of Commons, and said: “I’m given to understand that tragically one of those sleeping just outside the entrance and exit to this place died in the last 24 hours or so.”

Roberta Blackman-Woods, the shadow housing minister, asked if a strategy was in place to help during a point of order. She said: “I know individual MPs and staff do what they can to help people, but I wonder if you’re aware of any strategy Parliament might be seeking to support people who are homeless?

“I also wonder if there has been any indication from the Minister, they will be making a statement on this tragedy and on their failure to address the tragedy of the homelessness we see every day up and down this country?”

Communities Secretary James Brokenshire responded that: “Investigations are ongoing into the circumstances surrounding this death.”