Latest news with #roughSleeping
BBC News
04-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Hundreds of women sleeping rough in Bristol, census finds
There are about 23 times more women sleeping rough in a city than government figures suggest, according to a new St Mungo's, The Nelson Trust, One25 and Shelter worked with Bristol City Council on the research that found there are about 349 women sleeping rough in Bristol - compared with just 15 recorded by government snapshot counts."The Bristol women's census reveals a stark reality: hundreds of women in our city are experiencing homelessness," said Jennifer Riley, CEO at city council leader, Heather Mack, said that the council would "use this information to help inform and improve services". Ms Riley added: "This data is a call to action - for fair funding and gender-informed services."Together, we can do more to ensure that every woman has a safe place to stay."Andrew McCarthy, strategic lead for Shelter Bristol said: "While rough sleeping is unsafe for anyone, women who are homeless often face the added risk of being vulnerable to violence, sexual assault, and harassment."The Bristol Women's Census is a stark reminder that women often go under-recorded in the government's rough sleeping counts, simply because of how risky it is to bed down in spaces that feel exposed." 'Hidden from view' Meanwhile, the national Women's Rough Sleeping Census found that there are about ten times more female rough sleepers across the country than the government accounts incorporated women sleeping in unsafe, hidden places, or staying mobile at night to avoid harm in its figures in an attempt to "capture the widespread impact of domestic abuse and violence"."The numbers show there are significant amounts of women sleeping on the streets, with many more hidden from view meaning they are not included in official statistics," said Laura Shovlin, regional head at St Mungo's.
BBC News
27-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Oxfordshire homelessness services say next year 'critical'
Organisations involved in tackling rough sleeping have warned of a "critical 12 months ahead", due to funding pressures and changes to support from the Oxfordshire's local councils, as well as members of Oxfordshire Homelessness Alliance, say a potential change in funding will increase the challenges they a report to Oxfordshire's Health and Wellbeing Board, the groups also warned of the impact of changes to organisations supporting people at risk of government is currently consulting on changes to the Homeless Prevention Grant - which is distributed to local authorities. Proposals are being made to redistribute more funds to places with higher local benefit claim adopted, the report said the changes would involve "large funding reductions" for all Oxfordshire's city and district councils."The transformation of our approach to rough sleeping is facing a critical 12 months ahead," the report organisations also warned that structural changes to Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB) would reduce the resources available and create uncertainty within the response to these challenges, Oxfordshire Homelessness Alliance said it would be transforming the way it partnership said it had agreed a new budget in an attempt to mitigate the risks - including "fundamental" changes to its accommodation and support on latest figures for March 2025 show a slight reduction in rough sleeping in Oxfordshire, with 46 people recorded as sleeping on the streets compared to 48 people in the previous quarter.A majority of the county's rough sleepers are based in Oxford - which also accounts for the highest number of long term rough sleepers.A significantly higher number of people are considered as statutory homeless, which includes individuals who are in unsuitable or inconsistent accommodation - although the exact number in Oxfordshire is unknown. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Scrapping rough sleeping law 'good news', says Blackpool charity
The boss of a Blackpool homeless charity has said a plan to decriminalise rough sleeping on the streets of the seaside town is "really good news".Ministers are planning to scrap the 200-year-old Vagrancy Act which was introduced in 1824 to deal with rising Hugo from Streetlife, which helps 18 to 25-year-olds, said extra cash promised by the government would "really help to ramp up the support we're able to give people"."I think criminalising rough sleepers was the wrong thing to do, so I'm pleased that it's been sorted out," she added. Ms Hugo said more money towards homelessness prevention coupled with support for the vulnerable would "help to prevent people becoming homeless in the first place". 'Complicated reasons' She said: "We have got a situation in Blackpool, but it's not as bad as some other towns in the North West."I think this issue gets mixed up with begging."A lot of people assume that people who are begging on the street are homeless and that's not always the case."Ms Hugo said the charity had outreach teams in Blackpool who speak to people on the streets and direct them to help available. "There are still complications why people rough sleep, some people with mental health issues find it really difficult to live in hostel-type accommodation, or to manage their own flats and lots of support is needed," she said. "But we're doing our best and the extra funding will really help."I think it's really good news, it's long-awaited." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Worcester charity praises 200 year old homeless law change
Decriminalising a 200-year-old law making rough sleeping an offence is "long-overdue", a charity has government confirmed it would scrap the Vagrancy Act by spring 2026 and instead target organised begging gangs and archaic law was introduced in 1824 to deal with rising homelessness after the Napoleonic Wars and Industrial Blewitt, from homeless charity Maggs Day Centre in Worcester, said the end of the act was "a long-overdue and symbolic step towards breaking the stigma around rough sleeping". "For far too long, people facing homelessness have been treated as criminals simply for being in crisis - as though having nowhere to go is a choice that deserves punishment," she said."Being without a home is already dehumanising. Being criminalised on top of that only adds shame and fear."While this repeal won't solve homelessness overnight, it matters deeply."The centre supports homeless people through its day centres, clothing project and outreach Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said it would boost funding for homelessness services by an extra £233m this financial year, bringing total investment for 2025-26 to nearly £ Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: "We are drawing a line under nearly two centuries of injustice towards some of the most vulnerable in society, who deserve dignity and support."No-one should ever be criminalised simply for sleeping rough and by scrapping this cruel and outdated law, we are making sure that can never happen again."In December, Worcester City Council was given extra funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping in the leader Lynn Denham welcomed the increase, which took funding to £1.18m for the 2025/26 financial year."Reducing homelessness is an absolute priority for the city council," she news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Decision to scrap rough sleeping law 'long-overdue'
The government's "long-overdue" decision to scrap a law criminalising rough sleeping has been welcomed by charities and formerly homeless people in the Prime Minister Angela Rayner called the Vagrancy Act "cruel and outdated" and said Labour would target organised begging by gangs instead.A Southampton charity welcomed the change and said the focus should be on "prevention, housing-led solutions, and genuine support".Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said funding should be made available to tackle underlying mental health issues. Figures from Southampton City Council show the average number of people rough sleeping on a single night in Southampton between 2010 and 2022 was in Autumn 2023, the government released figures that showed 46 people in Oxford were sleeping rough on a single the same year, for 17 out of 43 police forces in England and Wales, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) did not prosecute at all using the Vagrancy Act. Vince, from Southampton, is now securely housed, but was formerly said he was not aware at the time that he could be prosecuted for rough sleeping."Even if I had known, I was most worried about being robbed or assaulted, and staying warm and dry," he said."I think [the announcement] is a step in the right direction, but it doesn't address the lack of available housing, or how dangerous it can be to sleep rough."Layla Moran, Lib Dem MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, who campaigned for the act to be repealed, said she felt "pure joy" at the news."I can finally say that after seven years of dogged campaigning, this cruel and archaic law will be consigned to the history books," she said."It is not and should never have been acceptable to view homelessness as a crime." Chief executive of the Society of St. James, a Southampton-based homelessness charity, Tania Marsh called the move "long-overdue".But she also cautioned against any possible "unintended consequences" of new legislation."It is vital that any new legislation is carefully designed to avoid criminalising individuals pushed into street homelessness," she said."Our focus must remain on providing robust strategies that prioritise prevention, housing-led solutions, and genuine support for everyone experiencing homelessness in our community." Ms Jones told BBC Radio Solent on Wednesday she welcomed the act being repealed, but added: "We must make sure we don't slip back to high streets across the south being full up with people who are sleeping homeless."She said during her time as leader of Portsmouth City Council from 2014 to 2018, the act had been useful in helping to tackle anti-social behaviour associated with temporary Vagrancy Act was originally introduced in 1824 in response to rising homelessness and is expected to be repealed by spring next year. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
