Now that we are moving in the second half of the year, it has already seen record levels of migration inside the UK, specially illegal and the string of issues arising from it. Homelessness has been a notable byproduct of the crisis and the policymakers have been struggling to deal with the issue, apparently unsuccessful. The crisis on both sides has developed at a fast pace, with political and social effects radiating across communities and institutions.
Rising Inflow Across the Channel
The early part of 2025 recorded over 25,000 migrants and refugees arriving in the English Channel on small boats, a 49% increase from the previous year and the highest recorded number this early in the year. This influx has placed huge pressure on the Labour government, whose latest “one in, one out” returns deal with France sees asylum seekers who cannot establish family links in the UK being sent back, with provisions for granting leave to others with legitimate connections. Critics, however, say the policy will only affect a small number of arrivals and will not act as a deterrent for future attempts.
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces mounting pressure as both deaths and dangerous conditions escalate. Reports highlight that as of July 2025, at least 18 migrants have died attempting the crossing this year, with vessels becoming increasingly overcrowded and less seaworthy. Meanwhile, the backlog of asylum cases, though reduced from its peak, remains substantial with over 100,000 awaiting decisions; many asylum seekers languish in government-funded accommodations, hindered from integrating into society.
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Homelessness: A Parallel Crisis
The increase in migration has added to homelessness, which was already at crisis point as a result of the housing and cost-of-living crises. Figures from CHAIN show that, between April 2024 and March 2025, 3,028 individuals slept rough on London’s streets, a 27% increase per annum and almost twice the figure a decade previously. Across England, more than 320,000 homes were homelessness in 2023/24, the record high, and more than 164,000 children are now homeless in temporary accommodation. Local authorities spent £2.3 billion on them in a year, almost twice as much five years ago.
Homelessness is strongly intertwined with increasing rents, poor benefit support, and low levels of mental health and domestic abuse provision. Charities are under extreme pressure, frequently unable to cope with the most extreme cases. Rough sleeping has risen by 63% in the past decade, and temporary accommodation numbers are at record levels.
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Wider Implications
Both crises are spurring a range of related issues:
- Mental health: Homeless and rough sleepers experience high levels of mental illness; 80% of rough sleepers endure mental health disorders.
- Community strain: Integration initiatives are still under resourced, while immigration enforcement is increasingly stringent, threatening exclusion and public disorder.
- Health and safety: Exposure, overcrowding, and absence of support services continue to threaten the most vulnerable.
Policy and the Road Ahead
Labour’s new pledges constructing 1.5 million homes and increasing social rent homes announce a long-term plan but encounter operational and political challenges. The homeless sector demands immediate action: more social housing, proper benefits, and increased “Housing First” pilots to ensure long-term stability for vulnerable groups.
With record numbers on the move and slipping through the cracks, the UK’s twin crises demand more than piecemeal solutions. Only sustained, well-resourced reforms in housing, migration, and inclusion can guarantee no one is left without shelter or support in Britain’s future.
