32 homeless people have died in the North-East in last five years

Deaths of rough sleepers and those in emergency accommodation rose from 482 in 2013 to 597 last year across England and Wales, according to the first Office for National Statistics (ONS) research of its kind.

Life expectancy for the homeless is nearly half that for people in stable housing, with homeless men and women dying on average at the age of 44.

While London had the highest mortality rate, the North West of England saw the largest increase over the period, with homeless deaths more than doubling.

It was estimated that last year more than one in ten homeless deaths were due to suicide, while more than two-fifths was due to drug poisoning or alcohol-related.

Crisis chief executive Jon Sparkes said: "This is nothing short of a national tragedy - especially when we know that homelessness is not inevitable.

"In one of the world's wealthiest countries, no one should be dying because of homelessness. It's imperative that governments act now to stop this tragedy once and for all."

Shelter campaign director Greg Beales branded the deaths "a source of national shame".

"There is nothing inevitable about homelessness or about these tragic deaths which are a consequence of a housing system which fails too many people," he added.

The charity blamed a "crippling shortage of social housing" as well as a "threadbare safety net", as it called on the Government to change tack to end the scourge.

The Local Government Association said ending homelessness was becoming "increasingly difficult" with a funding gap, as it called for "proper resourcing".

The statistics came a day after MPs were told about the death of a homeless man, a 43-year-old known as Gyula Remes, who was found outside the Houses of Parliament.

He was the second homeless man known to have died near the Palace of Westminster this year, but the fresh statistics show the scale of such deaths across the nation.

London was the worst hit last year with more than a fifth of the estimated deaths, at 136, while the North West had 119.

But over that period the estimated death toll in London remained largely stable, whereas the North West saw a jump of 115% from 55.

Estimates for the North-East also saw a 71% increase, from 18 to 32.

Government figures released last week showed the number of households living in temporary accommodation in England had risen by 5% in a year to 82,310.

Data previously showed the number of people officially recorded as sleeping on the streets of England rose from 1,768 in 2010 to 4,751 in 2017, but charities warned the true figure could be more than double this.

Work on the latest ONS figures was prompted by research from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in October, which found that at least 449 homeless people had died in the UK in the previous 12 months.

The ONS defined homeless people as those sleeping rough or using accommodation such as homeless shelters or hostels at around the time of their death.

What to do if you see someone homeless

Does the person need emergency help?

1. If the person in question is likely to be under 18 or is sleeping rough with a child in their care, this is a matter to refer to the police and social services immediately as local authorities have a legal obligation to provide shelter to children.

2. If the person is in need of urgent medical attention, for example if they have an open wound or appear to be seriously ill, calling 999 for an ambulance will get them professional help quickly.

3. Another immediate concern, especially in cold conditions, is where the person is set to spend the next few hours. Day shelters offering food and clothing and - usually during the winter months - night shelters that offer safe, warm sleeping areas, are in operation in many areas, so Google those running in your area or search via homeless.org.uk.

Will they be outside in sub-zero temperatures?

During the extremely cold weather - specifically, when temperatures fall to zero degrees or lower for three days - special measures come into action with the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP).

When this comes into force, the local authority and other organisations in the area will work to offer extra temporary accommodation where possible.

Your local authority's housing options number - usually easy to find online - can give you more information on whether SWEP is in place and what local shelter options are available.

How do I alert the local authority?

Assuming none of the above applies, and no immediate shelter is available, you can still help a rough sleeper get on the path to engaging with services - usually through their local authority. It is important, if you have been able to speak to them, that you get their consent to do this.

One option available for members of the public in England and Wales is StreetLink - a service that centralises reporting of rough sleepers.

A call or online referral to StreetLink will, where appropriate, be passed to the relevant local services - usually local authority outreach teams who operate at night.

Each council's team has a different timetable dependent on demand, but they typically aim to reach a rough sleeper in one to three nights and offer support.

Sending an alert about a rough sleeper when SWEP provision is in place will ensure local services are aware of the individual and can refer them to this emergency accommodation.

Due to the high volume of calls, StreetLink advises that the best method to refer rough sleepers is via the website or app.

What if I live outside England and Wales?

There is no equivalent centralised service for referring rough sleepers in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

In Scotland, Shelter Scotland can offer help and advice, while people in Northern Ireland are advised to refer rough sleepers to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive as a first port of call.

What information do I need to give?

Local outreach teams will welcome as much of the following information as possible in order to locate a rough sleeper:

Night-time sleep location: This is absolutely key in many cases, as this is when most outreach teams operate. If you have this information, be as precise as possible.

A physical description: For obvious reasons, this can go a long way to helping outreach workers find someone who is rough sleeping.

Any particular concerns: Health issues (whether the rough sleeper has medication that requires refrigeration, for example), or other concerns workers should be aware of if and when they meet the rough sleeper.

Should I give my own money?

Many have different views and feelings about giving money to people they meet on the street, and there isn't any right answer to this issue.

Some feel more comfortable donating to housing or homelessness charities - of which there are a number - to help tackle the issue.

However, if you are unable to help in any other way, there's certainly no harm in offering someone a warm drink, some food or a blanket - or even just someone to talk to for a while.