(MENAFN) The number of homeless people dying in the UK reached a record high in 2024, with 1,611 deaths reported, according to figures compiled by the Museum of Homelessness.

The total marks a 9% increase from the previous year, with most deaths linked to suicide or drug use, including increasingly lethal substances such as spice and nitazines. Matthew Turtle, director of the museum, said the statistics “show how homeless people continue to be deeply failed.”

Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern described the numbers as “heartbreaking” and stated that the government is “accelerating efforts to tackle the root causes of homelessness.” The data is compiled from coroner’s reports, media coverage, family testimony, and Freedom of Information requests, as the government no longer publishes official statistics on homeless deaths.

Among those who died was Anthony Marks, 51, who was assaulted in August 2024 near London’s King’s Cross station while sheltering in a bin shed. After being discharged from hospital, he was readmitted following a seizure and later died. Four people have been charged in connection with his death.

Tim Renshaw, chief executive of the Archer Project, a homeless charity in Sheffield, said, “We shouldn’t be surprised that people are dying on our streets. We have one of the worst systems in terms of making housing available to the poorest. Homelessness is linked to health factors—trauma, depression, anxiety—and increasing levels of poverty.”

In November 2024, three homeless women died within 10 days in Sheffield. One woman in her 40s was buried with no attendees because her official name was not recognized by those who knew her. Renshaw called the situation “an absolute tragedy,” noting that people had expressed regret that they could not attend her funeral.

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