Numbers of visible Northampton rough sleepers down by 19 after annual head count

An annual Government Rough Sleeper Count in Northampton has discovered nine rough sleepers this year - 19 less than in 2019.

During the count – which was carried out by 32 volunteers and was observed and validated (on behalf of the Government) by an independent verifier from Homeless Link - a total of nine people (eight men and one woman) were found ‘bedded down’.

Just days after the lockdown began in March, Northampton's Single Homelessness Forum moved 90 men and women off the streets into two hotels in town to keep a roof over their head during the outbreak. Since then, 169 former homeless people been moved into settled housing.All of the people found ‘bedded down’ are known to the Street Outreach Team and one of them has previously been provided with emergency accommodation under the Government’s COVID-19 ‘Everyone In’ initiative. Five are non-UK nationals.

The nine people found ‘bedded down’ during the count do not include the five people who the Street Outreach Team found sleeping rough, during the few days leading up to the count, on sites which were not safe to visit in darkness.

Revd Sue Faulkner, the chair of the Single Homelessness Forum, said: “We know that all organisations in our town have a good understanding of the number of people who access their services and have their own estimate of how many people are sleeping rough and in need of assistance.

“We know, also, that the Rough Sleeper Count can only ever be a snapshot and does not reflect those who happen to find a bed for that night or will find

themselves without a bed the following night. Overall trends, however, can be seen from a comparison of annual counts.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and the Government’s ‘Everyone In’ initiative have resulted in huge changes to the way in which services are delivered and a heightened sense of urgency in the partnership working across our town.

“The Street Outreach Team responds very quickly to any information it receives about people seen sleeping rough and there has been impressive working between organisations to identify rough sleepers, understand their individual circumstances and seek solutions that they are happy to engage with."

During the count in 2019, a total of 28 people were found ‘bedded down’ and, of the 24 people whose gender could be established, 21 were men and three were women.

Sue added: “Now more than ever, it is essential that organisations are open and share information, so that each person can be offered the help they need.

"Behind each person is a complex story and context. Some may not, at present, wish to engage with the support on offer, whilst others may be struggling in settled accommodation and be reliant on the help offered by organisations.

“Although numbers are important, they can become a distraction from the urgent, life-changing work that everyone is undertaking to ensure that rough

sleepers are provided with settled housing and do not return to the street.

“It is wonderful that, since Northampton’s last count, such a large number of people have made great progress in turning their lives around and that, with the fantastic partnership work of so many organisations, they have been able to make the most of the help, support and rehousing opportunities available.”