Fewer rough sleepers in Blackburn and Burnley despite national rise

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities figures show 10 people were estimated to be sleeping rough in Blackburn with Darwen based on a snapshot of a single night in autumn last year – down from 11 the year before.

And four people were estimated to be sleeping rough in Burnley based on a snapshot of a single night in autumn last year – down from six the year before.

The government promised to eradicate homelessness by next year, but charities have called for greater action.

Housing charity Shelter said homelessness is in a "bleak situation" with a rising number of rough sleepers and tens of thousands of households turning up at local councils asking for help.

It urged the government to unfreeze housing benefit – which remains at 2020 levels – and build more affordable social homes.

The most recent figures suggest 3,069 people were estimated to be sleeping rough in England last year – a 26 per cent rise on the 2,443 rough sleepers in 2021.

The figures also show the rate of rough sleepers has risen across the country – from 4.3 per 100,000 people in 2021 to 5.4 per 100,000 last year.

In Blackburn with Darwen, 6.5 per 100,000 people were estimated to be sleeping rough last year – down from 7.1 the previous year.

In Burnley, 4.2 per 100,000 people were estimated to be sleeping rough last year – down from 6.3 the previous year.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: "Today’s figures show that more and more people are losing the battle to keep a roof over their heads. We’re facing a truly bleak situation."

Homeless Link, the national membership charity for frontline homelessness organisations, said the rise in rough sleepers "represents a massive, collective failure".

Chief executive Rick Henderson said: "People are being let down by systems that should protect them, forced onto the streets at the expense of their physical and mental health.

"The 26 per cent rise is evidence of how the cost-of-living crisis has exacerbated long-standing drivers of homelessness, such as a shortage of affordable housing, an often-punitive welfare system and increasingly stretched health services."

Mr Henderson also urged the government to address funding shortages in the upcoming Spring Budget, unfreeze housing benefit and deliver on rental reforms to prevent further people from becoming homeless.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said rough sleeping remains below pre-pandemic levels but admits "there is more to do" to end rough sleeping for good.

A spokesperson said Section 21 no-fault evictions will be abolished and £2 billion will be invested over the next three years.

The government has also invested £11.5 billion to deliver affordable homes for rent and to buy across the country, they added.

The government acknowledged that while rough sleeping “remains well below pre-pandemic levels” there is “more to do to help families at risk of losing their homes and to end rough sleeping for good”.

Cllr Damian Talbot, public health, prevention and wellbeing boss at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “Blackburn with Darwen Council have made a strong commitment to ending rough sleeping in the borough, with significant investment in outreach, support and accommodation access including our own PODS offer throughout the critical winter period.

“Our approach has helped us reduce our rough sleeper numbers by over half from 2019 and continue on this trajectory.

“Since November, we have maintained very low rough sleeper numbers, at zero most days which we are proud of, and committed to do all we can to maintain. This is a major factor in us bucking the national trend.

“We continue to explore innovative ways of maintaining what we can achieve over the winter period year round which will help us keep moving in a positive direction.

"This as always, is set against a difficult budget position, with government investment key to sustainably ending rough sleeping.”