A vigil in London last week for people who have died while experiencing homelessness

MORE than 20 people died while experiencing homelessness in Camden during 2025, marking an increase for the second year in a row, an independent report has found.

Since 2017, Finsbury Park’s Museum of Homelessness (MoH) has documented deaths on the streets and in temporary accommodation across the UK for its Dying Homeless Project.

Its latest research found that Camden was one of the five local authorities – along with Bristol, Brighton and Hove, Edinburgh, and Stirling – nationwide with the highest rate of homeless deaths relative to the population.

Camden saw 22 deaths in 2025, compared to 17 in 2024 and 9 in 2023 – even while the number of deaths in London as a whole declined last year.

MoH director Matt Turtle told the New Journal: “I don’t think [Camden Council] has a particularly constructive approach to homelessness. I think there are other boroughs that have worked more compassionately and caringly and haven’t seen such dramatic increases in the numbers of people dying.”

He said that of the 22 deaths in 2025, nine of those were people who died on the streets, rather than in some form of accommodation.

“We’re seeing more people being forced to take their chances on the street, which indicates the situation is getting worse,” Mr Turtle said, adding: “Camden’s response has often been to try and deal with this with quite harsh punitive measures.”

He pointed to the council’s decision in August to renew a £65,000 partnership with the Met Police, to facilitate “regular joint shifts”, including “encampment management and reduction”.

Mr Turtle said: “All councils have to work with the police and all councils do. But some councils have a much more balanced relationship and don’t rely on criminalisation and enforcement as a way of responding to homelessness.

“The question is really, how do we build an ecosystem of compassionate services – some grassroots, some commissioned by the council – that can support people? And how can we make better routes for people to move on from homelessness?”

A Camden Council spokesperson said: “We work with a range of partners to support people in Camden who are experiencing homelessness through an approach based on compassion and respect.

“We provide housing, welfare, employment, health and social care support to help people rebuild their lives and we also work to prevent homelessness before it occurs.

“The partnership with the Metropolitan Police is focused on harm reduction by helping support services to enter and work within encampments.”