Together, the latest statutory homelessness data and the recent report on private rent and house prices from the Office for National Statistics paint a stark picture for renters in Oxford.
People experiencing or facing homelessness can apply to their local authority for support. Applications will be assessed for eligibility and whether the applicants are already homeless (owed a relief duty) or facing the threat of homelessness (owed a prevention duty).
Households that are owed a prevention duty are considered to be less than 56 days away from becoming homeless. In these cases, local authorities are required to ‘take reasonable steps to help the applicant to secure that accommodation does not cease to be available’.
Twice as many households facing homelessness
Across England, the number of households assessed as threatened with homelessness in January – March 2025 dropped by 4.5% compared to the same period in 2024. In London, this figure also fell by 10.4%. But here in Oxford, the number of households facing the threat of homelessness has doubled.
Key figures: households owed a prevention duty
Comparing data for January – March 2025 and January – March 2024
- England: 37,610 – down 4.5%
- London: 6,650 – down 10.4%
- Oxford: 131 – up 111% from 62
This hugely worrying increase sets Oxford apart from the national trend, which shows a fall in the number of households owed a homelessness duty compared to the record levels in January to March 2024.
The highest average rent outside of London
It’s no secret that house and rent prices in Oxford are some of the highest in the country, but the Private Rent and House Prices, UK: August 2025 report from the Office for National Statistics brings this fact into sharp focus.
The average monthly rent in Oxford increased by a staggering 11.5% in the 12 months to July 2025. By comparison, average monthly rent in the UK rose by just 5.9% and in London there was only a 6.3% increase. The Price Index of Private Rents (PIPR) also showed that, at £1,875, Oxford has the highest average rent outside of London.
Increased monthly rent is a huge factor in the rising number of people who are currently facing the very real threat of homelessness in Oxford. It also puts extra strain on local authorities and on services like ours, making it more difficult for residents to move on into the private rented sector. However, a drop in rent prices alone won’t end homelessness.
Homeless Oxfordshire’s CEO, Simon Hewett-Avison, believes that we will only reverse the trends we are seeing in the city with greater investment in social housing and prevention. “We will continue to see high levels of homelessness until we address the significant lack of social housing and invest in prevention activity and community-based services.
“While rent hikes certainly contribute to homelessness, this crisis isn’t just a housing issue. The average age of death in the homeless population is early 40s and the incidence of poor physical and mental health within the homeless population far outweighs that of society as a whole. We need to work more closely across sectors.”
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