Nearly 1000 people recorded as homeless across Swindon
Across the South West homelessness has increased by 5%
A charity that supports those without a home has called latest estimates of Swindon's homelessness figures "shocking".
New data has revealed that 940 people across Swindon are currently recorded as homeless.
The figures, which include people living in temporary accommodation, rough sleeping, or housed in hostels, provide insight into the distribution of homelessness across the county.
Helen Bedser, CEO of Julian House, said: "It's heart-breaking, really, because obviously behind these statistics are real people and real lives that are shattered by homelessness and lives ending because of the realities of not having access to a safe place to call home.
"So, it's really shocking. And to see that the numbers going higher is really worrying and concerning."
Mrs Bedser added: "It's an incredibly vulnerable position for people to be in.
"They're made to genuinely be at risk, more likely to be a victim of crime, more likely to be experiencing complex medical issues - all of which impact the the human experience.
"It's not a life to live your life without that stability and security of having a home."
Homelessness numbers are rising
The data is part of a larger picture across England, which shows homelessness affecting 382,618 people – an 8% rise compared to the previous year.
This includes over 175,000 children and represents one in 153 people across the country.
Homelessness in the South West, including Swindon, has increased by 5%, with 14,341 people - which translates to one in 411 - affected.
However, the report only focuses on those legally defined as homeless.
These include individuals in temporary housing arranged by councils or social services, those rough sleeping, or placed in hostels - but this means that certain forms of homelessness are challenging to calculate, meaning the true scale could be higher.
"These numbers are around people in temporary accommodation recorded as rough sleeping and in hostile accommodation. But we know that that doesn't capture the hidden homeless or people who may be sofa surfing or living in vehicles", Mrs Bedser explained.
"Obviously, we work in the South West and there are particular issues with rurality and how much more difficult it is to really capture the experience of homeless people in some of those communities.
"So, lots of people will go under the radar and are not picked up by these figures.
"It's just the tip of the iceberg, I would say."
Separate figures from housing charity Crisis estimate that 299,100 households across England experienced "core homelessness" in 2024, using a broader definition to include harder-to-measure situations beyond those officially recorded.
As homelessness continues to rise, the county faces increasing challenges in addressing the crisis.