The latest national statistics on Statutory Homelessness for the second quarter (April to June) 2008 were released on 11 September 2008 under arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

The key points from the latest release are:

Household acceptances

* 15,680 applicants were accepted as owed a main homelessness duty during the April to June quarter, 2 per cent lower than during the same period in 2007.
* On a seasonally-adjusted basis, there were 15,750 acceptances, 2 per cent higher than the previous quarter.
* The quarterly level of acceptances has more than halved compared to the same period during 2003, the year of the most recent peak in acceptances.

Households in temporary accommodation

* 74,690 households were in temporary accommodation on 30 June 2008, 4 per cent lower than at the end of the previous quarter, and 12 per cent lower than the same date last year.
* Temporary accommodation has now fallen for eleven consecutive quarters, and is 26 per cent lower than the peak during 2004.
* 87 per cent of households were in self-contained accommodation. 5 per cent were in bed and breakfast hotels.

The full statistical release and accompanying tables,..., are available...

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/homeless...

Of course the above information and link is in reference to the "official" homeless. For additional information about those that have fallen between the cracks in the UK welfare systems do some research or for some light reading follow these links:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/shocking-rise-in-homeless...

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/6631

http://www.homeless.org.au/statistics/#UK

http://www.crisis.org.uk/policywatch/pages/homelessness_statistics.html