Rough sleeping is the most visible and extreme form of homelessness, where people risk harm by sleeping outside or spaces not designed to be lived in because they do not have anywhere else to go

The Rough Sleeper team sits within the Mental Health and Complex Needs Team and works closely with the Housing Solutions Team.  The team is here to help our most vulnerable residents who are rough sleeping or have rough sleeping lifestyles.

The Housing Solutions service and the Rough Sleeping Team has received funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government to assist with ending rough sleeping and to ensure that the right support agencies are involved at the right time. We also ensure that any funding gaps for complex support services are met by our own budget allocation.

Whilst rough sleeping is not a choice there are numerous and complex scenarios that can play heavily on those who find themselves entrenched in rough sleeping or new to the streets.

We will help you with all aspects of daily living, accessing benefits and medical care, assist with support from mental health and substance misuse services, offending prevention, training and employment, statutory homelessness assessments and housing advice.

Anyone who is rough sleeping, bedded down outside or living a rough sleeper lifestyle is able to access the support of the Rough Sleeper Team.

We offer a pathway to low to high need supported housing offering dedicated support packages to achieve rehabilitation goals. We also work closely with colleagues in Housing Solutions for statutory homeless assessments, privately renting options and social housing.

We offer an outreach service along with specialised commissioned support agencies that help with mental health concerns, reconnecting the person to where they used to live, helping with drug and alcohol dependencies and basic living skills.

Our outreach support workers will visit the rough sleeper where they are bedding down to verify their homelessness. They then begin working to encourage they access our holistic support, including accessing appropriate accommodation

Our outreach support workers actively assist our rough sleeping residents on the street from 6am to 2pm,  seven days a week.

Members of the public who are concerned about anyone rough sleeping can call the national 24-hour rough sleeping referral line ‘StreetLink’ on 0300 500 0914 or visit www.streetlink.org.uk.