News

Homelessness charity reports increase in demand for services

07 Aug 2026 2 minute read

ALABARÉ revealed that the demand for their services has increased.

Abby Neve

A homelessness charity has said that the demand for their services has increased by 21% during 2025/2026, as the number of rough sleepers in Wales rises by nearly a quarter.

The charity supported 2,533 people during the year, up from 2,093 the previous year, while delivering more than 185,000 hours of contracted support across its homelessness, veterans, young people’s, mental health and learning disability services.

According to the Welsh Government, this year there were 162 individuals sleeping rough in Wales in May of this year. The number has risen from 131 at the same time last year.

The charity ALABARÉ provides services including help with homelessness, mental health challenges, social isolation and housing insecurity. They are calling for greater action to break the cycle of homelessness.

Andrew Lord MBE, Chief Executive Officer of ALABARÉ, said:

“The foundation of this report is the statistics, but ultimately it’s a platform for telling several inspiring stories of people who have faced significant challenges and found the strength to move forward. We are seeing more people arrive at our doors because of rising housing costs, poor mental health, relationship breakdowns and increasing financial pressures.

“Homelessness is not inevitable. By providing homes, restoring hearts and empowering minds, our approach moves beyond simply providing shelter, but true support that is tailored to individuals.”

Support has been provided through a network of 80 homes across Wales and the South West of England.

Currently, over 10,800 people in Wales are living in temporary accommodation, according to the Welsh Government.

According to the homelessness charity, people arrive at their homes for many reasons, including family breakdown, poor mental health, domestic abuse, unemployment, addiction, trauma, rising living costs and the shortage of affordable housing.

The charity’s houses average length of stay is just one year and two months, meaning people are often able to move towards independence more quickly than waiting times typically associated with social housing pathways.

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