2021 saw South Tyneside Council (STC) operate its Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) offering accommodation to homeless people and rough sleepers when the temperature falls below zero on three consecutive nights. Although the system has been active since October 2020, STC operate the protocol throughout the winter, regardless of whether temperatures dip below zero. During November 2021, accommodation was provided to 24 people, including 10 given shelter in the period between Christmas and New Year.
However temporary accommodation is not free.
We saw an approach to rough sleeping during lockdown. Following government orders, STC placed 105 people into B&Bs between April 2020 to January 2021. However, these government orders also required vulnerable homeless people to be accommodated which led to local councils rushing to put people into unfit properties at hugely varying costs to local taxpayers.
The rules for re-homing homeless people in such crisis situations say B&Bs should only be used for a seven-day period before the local authority has to place them into either a hostel, supported living or private rented accommodation. However, a number of people were housed in B&Bs for longer – with some spending over six-months in B&Bs.
Many homeless people have addiction and/or mental health issues and having no safe and secure place to live makes any rehabilitation exceptionally challenging which in turn often leads to relapse and, in many cases, re-offending. On top of this, a large number of homeless people are escaping domestic violence and intimidation, in desperate need of permanent safe accommodation.
The term ‘rough sleeper’ came in a few years ago and both the government and council seem to focus on this ‘rough sleeper’ number, measuring accommodation for them by a number. But the problem has just been renamed, it’s not actually fixing anything by placing someone in a B&B for a week, a month. It’s a bit like going to a food bank and getting food every week - you’re not fixing anything, it’s just a temporary patch. People need lots of support - mental health support, financial support and so on.
Brian of North East Homeless charity says:
‘I just hear about people being put in a B&B and then they are left - trapping homeless people. Private landlords can do pretty much what they want thereby not dealing with vulnerable, unsupported people put into properties which have dangerous, damp conditions and extortionate rents.’
There are a lot of homeless people who are hiding because they don't want to be seen or heard.
‘Bob’ first experienced homelessness after being evicted from his council flat for not paying his rent. He was offered shared accommodation but did not feel safe living there so at times he would sleep on the streets. ‘Sometimes I was scared to go back home. I don't take alcohol or drugs so they were trying to send me to places where I just wouldn't fit in and I'm not comfortable. I tried to hide, so I would go to places where no-one would ever go - industrial estates where no-one would be rough sleeping, where people who had been out on the drink couldn't come and kick you or...whatever they do.’
‘Bob’ kept clean by showering at a local leisure centre and washed his two sets of clothes at a launderette, hiding in libraries to keep warm. ‘When it's cold it's really cold, you are always fighting to keep yourself warm. Although I was on the streets, I still tried to have that little bit of pride and I didn't want to tell my family I was homeless."
In 2018 he met the charity Emmaus North East. They offered him a safe home and a daily routine. Three years later and he's landed himself a job there helping others who've experienced homelessness.
He believes councils needed to better understand the needs of homeless people and those who find themselves at risk. ‘They need to look at the individual themselves, instead of a category that we are put in.’
Why focus on local authority spending?
Although Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are primarily responsible for mental health funding, local authorities play a vital role in promoting good mental health. Given that the funding made available is focused on dealing with the results of poor mental health, more action is necessary to support people with mental health, abuse and addiction issues. The Salvation Army echoes this arguing that authorities should introduce mental health and addiction targets within their homelessness strategies.
If you find yourself without accommodation or know of anyone sleeping rough, please contact freephone 0800 141 2645 (Mon-Thurs 9am-5pm and Fri 9am-4.30pm) or 0191 456 2093 out of office hours.
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