Steep rise in the number of people sleeping rough in Bristol

Leading homelessness charities warn Government cuts are forcing people onto the streets as a new report reveals the impact on frontline services.

The urgent call for more funding to tackle the issue comes as council figures show the number of people sleeping rough in Bristol has increased in the last year, with 98 individuals recorded – up from 82 last year.

The figures barely scratch the surface of the problem, as they do not take into account people who are bedding down in unsafe buildings, sofa surfing or at risk of homelessness.

………………………………

Bristol24/7 relies on your support to fund our independent journalism and social impact projects. Become a member and enjoy exclusive perks from just £5 per month.

………………………………

Nationally, the number of people sleeping rough has reduced by nine per cent in the last year, according to government figures. The Government has pledged to spend £236m to tackle rough sleeping, in addition to the £437m promised to go towards reducing homelessness next year.

But a report commission by St Mungo’s and Homeless Link reveals homelessness services have been cut by 54 per cent across the South West in the last decade – rising to 65 per cent in cuts to services for single people.

Charity bosses say the report, by WPI Economics, reveals the extent to which services have been constrained by a “woeful funding shortfall” as they call on the Government to invest an extra £1bn a year on services to prevent homelessness and end rough sleeping.

Commenting on the latest figures for Bristol, Paul Smith, the council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “It is very troubling to see the number of people recorded sleeping rough rise, despite all the hard work from organisations across the city.

“What makes it even worse is that we are very aware that people sleeping rough only represent a very small portion of the wider homelessness issue in Bristol with hundreds of families in temporary accommodation and many other people forced to live in vehicles or in other unsuitable circumstances.

“As with last year, we are working hard to get people off the streets and support homeless people in a number of ways, but due to due the impact of Welfare Reform, and the affordability of accommodation in the city, people are finding themselves on the streets quicker than we can find them support and suitable accommodation.”

He said the council is doing all it can to “accelerate appropriate house building” across Bristol and added that the focus needs to be on prevention.

Last month, Bristol received £2.8m of government funding to improve frontline support for people sleeping rough, or those at risk of homelessness, over the next two years.

Around a £1m of this will be used to run two year-round shelters, one of which could be at St Anne’s House, which is currently being used as a shelter during the winter months.

St Anne’s House, Bristol’s first 24-hour homeless shelter, could remain open year-round. Photo by Ellie Pipe

The money will also be used to provide a specialist mental health nurse to work within the outreach team, two additional outreach positions, increased capacity for the Somewhere Safe to Stay programme and supported lettings team.

There are also plans to provide temporary accommodation with additional health support for people leaving hospital and to employ new specialist ‘navigators’ who work to help people with a variety of support needs into accommodation and enable them to access other services.

Mayor Marvin Rees called the latest figures for Bristol “incredibly disappointing” and said tackling homelessness continues to be a top priority for his administration, acknowledging that there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution.

Gareth Mercer, Bristol rough sleeping service manager, added: “We are deeply saddened to see yet another rise in the number of people who are having to sleep rough across Bristol. Rough sleeping is dangerous and life-threatening – no one should have to live this way.”

He added to calls for long-term government funding to address what he called a “national crisis”.

Howard Sinclair, St Mungo’s CEO, said national initiatives so far have been “wholly insufficient” to tackle the issue.

“The [government] funding that has been announced is simply not enough and too short term,” said Sinclair. “After a decade of cuts and rising homelessness, the Government must act now to put back the one billion pounds to bring back the vital services that have been lost.

“The human cost of these cuts is all too real. With 726 people dying on our streets or while homeless in a year, this really is a matter of life and death.”

Regional breakdown of funding cuts to homelessness services. Source: The Local Authority Spending on Homelessness report commissioned by St Mungo’s and Homeless Link

Anyone concerned about someone who is rough sleeping can make a street referral via Streetlink.org.uk.

Read more: Supporting LGBTQ+ people who are at risk of homelessness