Roughing it

Levels of homelessness in the UK have begun to rise, according to figures released in September by the Department for Communities and Local Government: up 17% this April-June on the same period in 2010. While figures are low in the context of the past decade, it does seem that the trend is upwards. Crisis, the homelessness charity, has published a report that looks at the likely impacts of economic downturn and weakened welfare protection on homelessness in the UK. The government's pledge to end rough sleeping and prevent homelessness, set out in the policy document No second night out nationwide, acknowledges that there is no simple solution to this complex problem. And this is also the main theme of a new study from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which looks at evidence from a recent programme of work on multiple exclusion homelessness.