Over 1·5 million people, or one in 200 US citizens, were reported to have used homeless shelters or transitional housing over 12 months between 2008 and 2009. 1 Half a million did so as part of a family, numbers that have increased since 2007. In Europe, although rates are lower, absolute numbers are high and have increased over the past few years. In the UK, for example, the number of rough sleepers seen by outreach workers increased 20% from 2006—07 to 2009—10.