Council bucks national trend in latest rough sleeping survey

The number of people who were recorded as being ‘street homeless’ in the Dorset Council area has remained the same as 2023, latest statistics from the government’s annual snapshot survey reveal. 

Nationally, the figure has risen by an average of 20 per cent.  

Every year, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) carries out a snapshot survey to find out how many people are rough sleeping on a specific night in autumn, so they can measure patterns over time. 

However, in Dorset, the number of people who were sleeping on the streets of the night of the snapshot, has not risen nor dropped since the last survey in 2023.

Over the last five years, the number of rough sleepers on a specific night in the local authority area has been recorded as the following:

2024: 15
2023: 15
2022: 12
2021: 13
2020: 16

Preventing rough sleeping and helping those who find themselves street homeless is a high priority for the Council.

Portfolio Holder for Housing and Health, Cllr Gill Taylor said:

“Homelessness is not a life choice for most people.

“Whilst we’re pleased the number of rough sleepers in our area hasn’t risen – particularly in the backdrop of the national picture – we know there is still more to do and we’re working hard to put support and accommodation in place wherever we can.

“We work closely with partners and people who are currently street-homeless, plus we’ve set up a collaboration with charities Shelter and Citizens Advice in order to provide a wide range of guidance and professional advice for people who may be struggling with housing costs, which aims to prevent residents from losing their home in the first place.

“We have invested in staff, partners and support services, to help people with no fixed abode find somewhere to live and avoid living their lives on the streets.”

Funding to prevent homelessness is provided by Dorset Council and several government funding grants, including (but not exhaustive of) the Rough Sleeper Initiative (RSI) and the Winter Pressures programme.

The council funds services and accommodation including the Lantern Wellbeing Accommodation Sustainment Project, Shelter Intensive Floating Support, Julian House Navigators and others, and part-funds the Bus Shelter Dorset.

The funding is provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), to assist people who are sleeping rough to move away from the street and be supported until they are ready for independent living.

Over the past four years, RSAP funding has allowed the council to purchase 38 new units of accommodation, enabling us to develop a rough sleeper pathway which caters for individuals with high, medium and low support needs.

49 individuals have benefitted from funded accommodation. Eleven people have now moved on into permanent accommodation and a further six are waiting to move into their own home.

Additionally, the council funds the Assertive Homeless Outreach Team, a street-based project run by Julian House, which reaches out to people wherever they are sleeping, and works with them to resolve their situation. 

If you are worried about losing your home, you can contact us in the following ways:
- Visit https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/housing/homelessness.
- Call the Housing Advice line on 01305 221000.
- Email housinghelp@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk.