More than 900 homeless people died in France in 2024, an unprecedented number, which is explained by the rise in homelessness and more efficient data collection by charities, writes Le Parisien.

“It is difficult to know exactly how many homeless people there are in France. It is estimated that there are around 350.000, including 20.000 living on the streets, according to the Housing Foundation.

“All the indicators are red. There is an urgent need for mobilization”, Adele Lenormand, a member of the French collective “The Dead on the Street” (Les Morts de la Rue), told AFP.

Men, women and children - 912 deaths were recorded, representing a “new and terrifying record” since the first census in 2012. During 2023, 735 homeless people died in France… These homeless people died prematurely, at an average age of 47,7 years, more than 30 years less than the life expectancy of the general French population. The majority were men (82%), but the proportion of women (13%) is increasing, the collective said.

“The worrying fact is that 4% of deaths involved people under the age of 15, double the number from 2012-2023. This is linked to the increasing number of families living on the streets”, said Adele Lenormand. The youngest recorded deaths were babies just a few days old, she added, noting that the oldest person was 93 years old”.