Council “working hard” to tackle rising numbers of rough sleepers

WARRINGTON Borough Council says it is “working hard” to tackle the number of rough sleepers in the town following a new investigation showing increasing numbers.

The investigation by Advice.co.uk shows rising levels of poverty, unemployment and a lack of affordable housing have led to the number of rough sleepers increasing in the UK.

The number of people who have been classed as ‘sleeping rough’ in Warrington has seen an increase since 2021. Figures obtained by Advice.co.uk found that Warrington Borough Council has counted 21 rough sleepers in the area over the past year.

Rough sleeping is one of the most visible types of homelessness as it includes sleeping outside or in places that aren’t designed for people to live in, including cars, doorways and abandoned buildings.
Many rough sleepers are vulnerable and struggle with complex physical and mental issues such as addiction.
In 2018, the average age of a rough sleeper at death was just 44 years old for men and 42 years old for women.
When support structures that prevent rough sleeping, like emergency accommodation, are unavailable, people can be forced to the streets. Once someone is forced into homelessness, these problems can become more difficult to resolve.
In 2021/22, the number of homeless people sleeping rough counted by Warrington Borough Council stood at 10.
A year later, this number increased to 12, which is the second-highest number of rough sleepers over the three-year period.
The past year has seen another rise in rough sleepers living in Warrington, standing at 21.

Due to the rising cost of rent as well as the cost of living crisis pushing more people to seek help, councils are struggling to find and fund temporary accommodation.
Riverside, a charity providing hostel accommodation, said there had been no significant investment in hostels in England since 2011, and the number of bed spaces in England had fallen by almost a quarter between 2010 and 2022.
Speaking to the Big Issue, John Glenton, the executive director of Riverside, said: “Increased investment in supported housing would provide more spaces to help get more people out of temporary accommodation into a dedicated space where they can receive the support they need.
“These services provide a route out of homelessness and help to reduce spending on very expensive, and often inadequate, temporary housing.”
The latest government statistics show 358,370 households contacted their local authority for support after being threatened with homelessness or losing their home in 2023-24, up more than 10% in a year. Of these, 324,990 were assessed as homeless.
Additionally, 3,898 people were sleeping rough on a single night in Autumn 2023, this was up more than a quarter on the 3,069 people counted in 2022 and is more than double the 1,768 people on the streets in 2010.
Homelessness charities called the figures ‘shameful’ and urged the Labour government to ‘act to put an end to rough sleeping’.
Advice.co.uk offers free advice and support to people who have run into problems with their housing, which may have led to them suffering an injury. They operate a 24-hour helpline and claim online form, which you can access on their website.

A Warrington Borough Council spokesperson responded: “Many councils are currently dealing with pressures in homelessness and housing services. The Big Issue recently reported that council spending on homelessness is double what it was five years ago.
“However, the figure of 21 being quoted is from autumn 2023, and we believe that the current number of people sleeping rough in Warrington is significantly lower. We await the publication of the revised and verified rough sleeper figure for Warrington next year to confirm this.
“Locally in Warrington, we’re working extremely hard to keep people safe and sheltered, and what the rough sleeper count data doesn’t reflect is the number of properties and bed and breakfast rooms that the council currently provides for people. Our work means that more people are getting help and protection at times of crisis.
“People sleep rough for often very complex reasons, and we will continue our work to make sure they receive the advice, help and support they need. If you see someone you believe is sleeping rough, you can report it at warrington.gov.uk/roughsleepers