More than one homeless person died every day in the UK over the last 12 months, according to a new study.

A physicist, a former soldier and a travelling musician were among the 449 deaths recorded since October 2017, including 14 in one week alone.

Experts described the statistic as a “national scandal” and placed the blame on welfare cuts, high rents and a lack of social housing.

The true death toll is likely to be significantly higher, according to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, which produced the database with the help of Channel 4 news, local journalists, charities and grassroots outreach groups.

It has prompted the Office of National Statistics (ONS) to begin work on its own “experimental” data in an attempt to improve understanding of how and why homeless people die.

The definition of homelessness used by the Bureau includes rough sleepers, people living in emergency accommodation such as hostels, sofa surfers and those registered as officially homeless in Northern Ireland.

Many of those included in the database are listed as "anonymous". Three men’s bodies were so badly decomposed by the time they were were discovered they needed forensic testing to identify them.

Causes of death included assault, drug overdoses, illness and suicide. One man showed signs of prolonged starvation. Their ages ranged from 18 to 94 years old, with an average of 49 for men and 53 for women.

The place of death was only known in 128 cases, including 65 on the streets, 47 in temporary accommodation and 16 in hospitals.

“These figures are nothing short of a national scandal. These deaths are premature and entirely preventable,” said Howard Sinclair, chief executive of homelessness charity St Mungo’s.

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, said: “This is a wake-up call to see homelessness as a national emergency.”

The ONS said that it had seen the database set up by the Bureau and compared it to its own figures collected from death registrations.

“Information gathered by outside organisations like these is not used for our official statistics, but it helps us develop the most accurate method of identifying all the deaths that should be counted,” said Ben Humberstone, ONS deputy director for health analysis and life events.

“Although this is a new area of data collection, we have a responsibility to ensure it meets the same high standards of quality, accuracy, confidentiality and security as the rest of our work.”

The causes of homelessness Show all 7 1 /7 The causes of homelessness The causes of homelessness Family Breakdown Relationship breakdown, usually between young people and their parents or step-parents, is a major cause of youth homelessness. Around six in ten young people who come to Centrepoint say they had to leave home because of arguments, relationship breakdown or being told to leave. Many have experienced long-term problems at home, often involving violence, leaving them without the family support networks that most of us take for granted The causes of homelessness Complex needs Young people who come to Centrepoint face a range of different and complex problems. More than a third have a mental health issue, such as depression and anxiety, another third need to tackle issues with substance misuse. A similar proportion also need to improve their physical health. These problems often overlap, making it more difficult for young people to access help and increasing the chances of them becoming homeless Getty/iStock The causes of homelessness Deprivation Young people's chances of having to leave home are higher in areas of high deprivation and poor prospects for employment and education. Many of those who experience long spells of poverty can get into problem debt, which makes it harder for them to access housing Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Gang Crime Homeless young people are often affected by gang-related problems. In some cases, it becomes too dangerous to stay in their local area meaning they can end up homeless. One in six young people at Centrepoint have been involved in or affected by gang crime Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Exclusion From School Not being in education can make it much more difficult for young people to access help with problems at home or health problems. Missing out on formal education can also make it more difficult for them to move into work Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Leaving Care Almost a quarter of young people at Centrepoint have been in care. They often have little choice but to deal with the challenges and responsibilities of living independently at a young age. Traumas faced in their early lives make care leavers some of the most vulnerable young people in our communities, with higher chances of poor outcomes in education, employment and housing. Their additional needs mean they require a higher level of support to maintain their accommodation Getty Images/iStockphoto The causes of homelessness Refugees Around 13 per cent of young people at Centrepoint are refugees or have leave to remain, meaning it isn't safe to return home. This includes young people who come to the UK as unaccompanied minors, fleeing violence or persecution in their own country. After being granted asylum, young people sometimes find themselves with nowhere to go and can end up homeless Getty Images/iStockphoto

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “Every death of someone sleeping rough on our streets is one too many and we take this matter extremely seriously.

“We are investing £1.2bn to tackle all forms of homelessness, and have set out bold plans backed by £100m in funding to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and end it by 2027.”

The homelessness crisis has been created by expensive private rents, crippling welfare cuts and a severe lack of social housing, said Polly Neate, chief executive of the charity Shelter.

“We see first-hand the suffering it causes: from families trapped in cramped and dingy B&Bs, to those forced to endure the dangers of sleeping rough,” she added. “To prevent more people from having to experience the trauma of homelessness, the government must ensure housing benefit is enough to cover the cost of rents, and urgently ramp up its efforts to build many more social homes.”