Women’s Rough Sleeping Census
Women are under-represented in rough sleeping statistics and provision, yet research, lived experience, and the experiences of services tell us that women are some of the most vulnerable within the rough sleeping population.
The Women’s Rough Sleeping Census aims to collect more comprehensive data on women experiencing rough sleeping and trial a different method of data collection. It also seeks to improve support and provision for women who are rough sleeping and experiencing other forms of hidden homelessness, by working directly with service and outreach teams on gender-informed practice.
The census gathers data through a survey conducted across a week in September with women who experience rough sleeping, and borough-wide data and discussion meetings. We rely on and are hugely grateful to the practitioners and services who conduct the survey with women they work with. Since 2022, more than 3000 women across England have shared their experiences of recent rough sleeping through the Women’s Rough Sleeping Census.
If you would like to know more about the women’s rough sleeping census, or sign up for 2026, please email womens.census@solacewomensaid.org.
2025 Census
The 2025 census survey took place between September and October 2025. Over 80 local authorities took part across England, matching similar numbers from 2024 and early numbers indicate that over 1400 women were identified. The census team is now reviewing the data from the census and will publish the results, alongside the formal report from late Spring 2026.
During the census survey one of our outreach teams were joined by BBC London who interviewed our Public Affairs Manager Kathryn Parsons, and Senior Housing First Worker, Ella Johnson for a Radio and TV report covering the process. The online article can be read here.
Previous reports
Resources and guidance
The 2025 census has now closed, but if you are interested in seeing previous resources you can find guidance for organisers, outreach teams and services for either London or National areas below. This includes for the local insights meeting.
London borough guidance – here
National local authority guidance – here
This section will be updated in Summer of 2026 for the September 2026 census.
Training sessions and videos
Insight Meetings – October 2025
This session was recorded 6th October 2025 and is for all participating services and charities who wish to be involved in the insight meetings.
Organiser Information Session – this session was recorded in July 2025 and is for organisers who are leading on an area taking part in the census or wish to know for future census’.
Services information session – this session was recorded in July 2025and is for services who sometimes work with women experiencing homelessness (but don’t usually deliver outreach).
Outreach information session – this session was recorded in July 2025 and is for teams who deliver outreach shifts.
Other resources
Local organisers should contact womens.census@solacewomensaid.org to ensure you have access to all of the latest resources.
Can you help to make the census happen in your borough?
The census is designed for the participation of a wide range of services and sectors. Your service might be a VAWG, health, drug and alcohol, migrant support service or a community group, or another type of support provider: if you work with women who experience homelessness, your service could be involved in or even lead the census in your area. If you would like more information, please contact us.
Every borough has an amazing set of services who can come together to deliver an impactful census response. Can you spread the word with local services? If so, please feel free to share the information sheet and resources on this website and reach out to your local organiser if you can offer support.
Your support in sharing information and encouraging teams and services to get involved can help to make sure that every borough can fully participate and become informed about the women sleeping rough in their area, and that women reaching a range of services can be included.
Can you help us spread the word in your sector?
Women who are rough sleeping need support from lots of different services – it may be that someone reaches a health service or migrant support service before they reach a homelessness service. We want to make sure women are included in the census, whichever support they reach first.
If you can help us by sharing census information with different services in your sector, or recommend meetings or networks we should attend and share information with, or help us to make sure the census is relevant to your sector, please get in touch.
If you’d like to know more, get in touch with us at womens.census@solacewomensaid.org.
Can you volunteer your time during census week in London?
Volunteers play a vital role in helping to deliver the Women’s Rough Sleeping Census and we are asking for volunteers to support delivery of the census in London.
We are asking for volunteers who work or have worked within the homelessness or related sectors, or who might have lived experience of homelessness. This is so that we can be confident that women taking part in the census are approached by people who have understanding and sensitivity about their experiences.
Volunteers will be needed during census week, and will be asked to help conduct surveys with women who have experienced rough sleeping. You may be asked to accompany professional outreach workers on their shifts, or to attend a day centre or another location in a borough.
We primarily ask for women volunteers so we can make sure there is always a woman present when someone is asked to do the survey, to make sure they feel as comfortable as possible. However, if you don’t identify as a woman and would like to be involved, please get in touch: we will do our best to arrange a volunteer placement for everyone who registers their interest.
We are grateful to all volunteers for your time – email womens.census@solacewomensaid.org to volunteer or register interest for 2026
Contact us
Kathryn Parsons | womens.census@solacewomensaid.org
Phone | 07584 167 991
The national development of the census has been supported by Homeless Link, Solace Women’s Aid, Change Grow Live and local authorities and organisations working hard to coordinate the census in their area.
The census in London is delivered in collaboration between Single Homeless Project, Solace Women’s Aid, London Councils and the GLA, with support from the Life Off the Streets Core Group/Women’s Workstream and DLUHC.
Thank you to the many teams and practitioners across England who work hard to make the census a reality in their area each year.
