Yes, the UK has a higher rate of homelessness compared to the US, with some sources suggesting the UK's rate is double that of the US on a per capita basis, and it faces a severe crisis with one in 200 households affected, driven by housing shortages, high rents, and evictions, while the US sees more street homelessness but fewer in temporary housing than the UK's significant temporary accommodation numbers.
The UK Has the Highest Rates of Lifetime Literal Homelessness in the First World. The lifetime literal rate of homelessness in the UK stands at 7.7%, which is higher than in the United States of America.
It happens because there are not enough good quality, truly affordable homes available for people on the lowest incomes. The reasons for homelessness include poverty, systemic inequality and discrimination, and incomes that are failing to keep up with rapidly rising rents and the cost of living.
20 Countries with the Lowest Homeless Population in the World
Hawaii and New York have the highest rates of homelessness across the 50 states. About 771,000 Americans experienced homelessness in January 2024 according to Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) point-in-time data, which measures homelessness across the US on a single night each winter.
“Los Angeles has more people living on the streets than any other city in the United States, which almost certainly makes it the homelessness capital of the developed world.
The highest rates of homelessness among states are in Hawaii (465 per 100,000), followed by New York (399) and California (367). You can access the HUD estimations here. The lowest homeless counts per capita come in Mississippi (81 per 100,000), Indiana (94) and Kansas (94).
By 2003, Japan had about 25,000 homeless people. Despite the country's ongoing economic challenges, the official number of homeless individuals has since plummeted, with the government reporting only 2,820 homeless people as of 2024.
A two-penny hangover is not the description of a very cheap night out, nor is it the amount it would cost you to get drunk in Victorian England. It is actually somewhere you could go to sleep if you were one of the thousands of homeless and destitute living in the country's main cities at the time.
Individual and relational factors apply to the personal circumstances of a person experiencing homelessness, and may include: traumatic events (e.g., house fire or job loss), personal crisis (e.g., family break-up or domestic violence), mental health and addictions challenges (including brain injury and fetal alcohol ...
Sleeping rough has been a criminal offence since 1824. Under the Vagrancy Act, people sleeping rough in England and Wales could be moved on or fined up to £1,000.
In England the highest risk of homelessness is experienced by people from Black and Mixed ethnic groups. Asian people in England are more likely to experience 'hidden homelessness', such as living in over-crowded housing or 'doubling up' with other households.
Around 1.3 million people are currently homeless in Europe.
The homelessness crisis is deepening due to increasing economic challenges, housing shortages, social exclusion, migration and other systemic issues.
Cultural norms emphasize family responsibility — many struggling individuals rely on relatives for support before becoming street homeless. The bottom line is that Homelessness in China is real and affects millions, including adults and children.
Finland is the only country in the world where there are no homeless people; the Finnish government believes that housing is not a privilege, but a fundamental right for every individual. Therefore, instead of temporary shelters or tents, homeless people are given the keys to permanent homes.
Homelessness and Age
The average age of adults experiencing homelessness is 45 years. The average age of unaccompanied homeless youth (aged 24 and below) is 18 years. The average age of older adults (aged 50 and above) experiencing homelessness is 66 years.
Finland's success is not a matter of luck or the outcome of “quick fixes.” Rather, it is the result of a sustained, well-resourced national strategy, driven by a “Housing First” approach, which provides people experiencing homelessness with immediate, independent, permanent housing, rather than temporary accommodation ...
Finland has adopted a Housing First policy, whereby social services assign homeless individuals homes first, and issues like mental health and substance abuse are treated second.
Housing-Based Solutions
Countless peer-reviewed studies have consistently confirmed that long-term housing assistance not only successfully reduces homelessness, but it is also less expensive than shelter and other institutional and emergency care.
In Finland, social housing is referred to as 'state-supported affordable rental housing'. Supported until recently by the Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland (ARA), social housing is provided by different types of legal entities.
The lack of deeply affordable housing is the primary cause of homelessness. For many, rising costs create an impossible choice between paying for housing and other necessities like healthcare, groceries, or clothing.
Los Angeles has more people living on the streets than any other city in the United States, which almost certainly makes it the homelessness capital of the developed world.