A report on the response of local authorities across Wales as to how they respond to rough sleeping has shown a lack of follow up auction

Research by Wales Audit Office shows that the public sector was spending up to £210 million reacting to rather than preventing rough sleeping and says this is a waste of money

In a report published today (July 23) Adrian Crompton, Auditor General, says the Covid-19 pandemic is an opportunity for public bodies to start addressing weaknesses in partnership working to help tackle rough sleeping.

And he calls on the many public bodies – including councils, the Police, health bodies, housing associations, and others – to change how they work and what they do to tackle rough sleeping.

The report found that in recent years whilst many public bodies work with people sleeping rough, services were not always joined up and helping people when they needed it.

There were many examples of people being assisted off the streets and into temporary accommodation, but they did not get the support they needed to address the root causes of their homelessness and often ended up back where they started.

The true extent of people sleeping rough in Wales each year is unknown. Drawing on information from specialist charities who work with people sleeping rough, there are roughly 3,000 incidences of rough sleeping every year.

The most recent data published by Welsh Government shows the number of people sleeping rough was continuing to rise before the pandemic, increasing by 17 per cent between November 2018 and November 2019.

The research shows that people sleeping rough in later life have often experienced domestic or sexual abuse, substance misuse, been abused at home, had difficulties in school, or lived in poverty from a young age.

To end rough sleeping, solutions need to address both accommodation and support needs and requires many public bodies – including, councils, the Police, health bodies, housing associations, and others – to change how they work and what they do to tackle rough sleeping.

The report adds that the key to tackling this problem is for public bodies to deliver a single public service response targeted at people sleeping rough.

To support this, the report includes a self-reflection tool for public bodies to use to improve how they can jointly address complex needs in the future.

Adrian Crompton, Auditor General said: “There has been a real change and emphasis on rough sleeping since the pandemic hit, with public services stepping up to help people off the streets into accommodation. Public services now need to capitalise on this work and deliver longer-term solutions to end people sleeping on our streets.

’’I believe that for the first time in a generation, eliminating rough sleeping in Wales is a possibility. Our report sets out how we can all work towards this goal. Public bodies must not just focus on giving people a roof over their head, it needs all partners to work together to address the root causes of homelessness.”