Huge rise in deaths of rough sleepers in the East Midlands
Northampton Hope Centre have been reacting to news of a 50% increase in homeless deaths last year.
Last updated 8th Oct 2025
A local homeless charity says they're seeing an increase in people struggling with drug and alcohol issues.
It comes as figures out today show the East Midlands has seen a 50% increase in homeless deaths last year.
Figures from the Museum of Homelessness show their were 77 deaths in the region in 2024, up from 51 in 2023, and 34 in 2022.
The East Midlands was found to be one of the worst places for deaths in homeless people last year along with the South West and East of England. Across the UK deaths were up 9%.
Damon Boughen is Grants and Trusts Manager from the Northampton Hope Centre:
"The rates of alcohol related deaths is increasing. It's also the amount of substances out in the community and the quality of drugs that people are getting hold of is is much lower than ever before.
"We're seeing a lot more people using things like nitazenes which are quite new but could be deadly and also as we're getting into the winter months as well, we're finding people who may not make it through the winter because unfortunately, their sleeping in the cold."
Damon says they're supporting thousands every year, and help around 60 to 70 people in need of immediate assistance every day.
He says any death of someone they've helped is heartbreaking:
"It's heartbreaking. We're all part of a big community here and I would like to use the word family as well that we all get to know each other. We all see each other every day and we really bond that we we form deep connections with those that we serve. It always hurts when we lose somebody."
Rise in younger people and families struggling
Damon also says Northampton Hope Centre are seeing younger and younger people in need of their services:
"When I was 18, I couldn't think about being made homeless. But for some people, this is a real reality and it's it's a mixture of things. It's the families breaking down. It's that they are in a situation where they they can't support themselves, but also more importantly, it's the cost of living. It's the cost of housing, the lack of affordable housing on the market, particularly for first time buyers, but also for those looking to rent."
The centre are also seeing more working families and those with children struggling and in need of support:
"We're seeing a lot more people come through our Community programme where we're supporting families who make the income, but it isn't making ends meet, and we are seeing an increasing amount of families with with children."
He says the Hope Centre in Northampton are always in need of donations, funds and volunteers to continue their work.
The Government says it's putting £1 billion into preventing homelessness and reducing rough sleeping.
Minster for Homelessness, Alison McGovern said:
“These figures are heartbreaking. Every loss of a life, especially the death of a child is an abject failure that cannot be tolerated.
“We simply cannot accept this as normal. Every person deserves a safe place to call home, which is why we are accelerating efforts to tackle the root causes of homelessness, expanding access to safe accommodation whilst also strengthening support services.”