Three homeless people died in Reading last year

Two deaths of homeless people were recorded in 2017, four in 2016, and seven in 2015. 

Zero deaths of homeless people were recorded in Bracknell, West Berkshire, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead. However, two deaths were recorded in Wokingham. 

The figures were released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which said around 726 homeless people died last year across England and Wales. 

This is an increase of 22 per cent since 2017. 

Two in five deaths of homeless people last year were related to drug poisoning, an increase of 55 per cent since 2017.

Responding to the data, Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said: “It is heart-breaking that hundreds of people were forced to spend the last days of their lives without the dignity of a secure home. 

“Behind these statistics are human beings, who like all of us had talents and ambitions. It’s crucial that governments urgently expand the safeguarding system used to investigate deaths of vulnerable adults to include everyone who has died while street-homeless, so we can help prevent more dying needlessly.” 

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “This is a moment to pause and reflect on what matters to us as a society. These tragic deaths are the consequence of a housing system which is failing too many of our fellow citizens.” 

ONS only started to produce official data on homeless deaths in England in Wales in December 2018, prompted in part by a year-long project by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.