Rise In Rough Sleeping

Glasgow has seen a rise in the number of people sleeping rough in the last month, according to a homelessness charity, reports BBC News.

The Simon Community said the number of people sleeping in the streets was creeping back up to pre-pandemic levels. During Covid, as few as four a night were rough sleeping as hotel rooms were provided to cut infection rates. Last week at least 25 people were counted sleeping outside. Glasgow’s health and social care partnership (HSCP) said it was too early to say whether it was a consistent rise but acknowledged an increase in cases it didn’t have a “statutory responsibility” to house. In July it emerged the city’s homelessness budget was expected to be reduced by nearly £5m as pandemic funding ceased.

Ashley Young, the Simon Community’s head of services in Glasgow, told BBC Scotland News the latest rise in July and August came as the charity saw increasing demand for emergency housing. In the last four weeks, she said it has prevented 200 people from rough sleeping by linking them with accommodation providers. Reasons for the higher numbers include a lack of available accommodation, people abandoning tenancies in other council areas and some having no access to public funds.

She said: “During the pandemic, everybody was accommodated under public health. That is now ending. We have to be much more mindful about the accommodation. There isn’t an unending pot of money, so there is definitely pressure on the local authority to provide emergency accommodation for people. We hadn’t given out sleeping bags in this team for well over two years. But because there has been an increase in rough sleepers, it is something we’ve had to return to.”

Before Covid, the Simon Community said it could expect around 30 people sleeping per night in Glasgow city centre. That reduced to single figures due to stringent public health measures from March 2020. In the last three weeks, however, the charity said numbers had been rising. In its latest weekly report shared with BBC Scotland, it noted 25 rough sleepers in the city – with 10 of them either abandoning tenancies or refusing help. The immigration status of six rough sleepers mean they have no recourse to public funds and are unable to access housing services and benefits.

Out on the streets of Glasgow, Lucy Blackie, of the Simon Community’s Street Team, helped a Hungarian man who was sleeping in Ingram Street who had no access to public funds. “Until all the processes have been completed, he has no recourse to public funds,” she said. “He can’t access housing or any benefits, so it’s a bit of a frustrating process.” She said there were different reasons behind the rise seen by her colleagues. “Some have no recourse to public funds, some decide that’s what they want to do and maybe need support with mental health. And others have come from other local authorities, aren’t managing [their tenancies] and are choosing to stay out. I didn’t work pre-pandemic but I think the numbers are creeping slowly back towards that.”

Last month, the charity Shelter said recent progress in Glasgow was at risk of being reversed as the health and social care partnership looked to make £4.9m in savings. This included “decommissioning” a hotel used to house homeless people. Glasgow City Council said homelessness services faced “unprecedented pressures”.

The city’s HSCP said it had placed more than 40 people in emergency accommodation to prevent rough sleeping in recent weeks. A spokeswoman said: “We receive weekly updates from Simon Community who are commissioned to provide outreach support and keep track on rough sleeping trends in the city. It is helpful to acknowledge that the Simon community have assisted in the prevention of rough sleeping with the HSCP accepting responsibility for providing accommodation in these cases.”

“While it is too early to say there is a consistent rise in the number of rough sleepers, we acknowledge there has been an increase especially in those cases we do not hold a statutory responsibility for which includes those with no recourse to public funds, those with existing tenancies and includes those who do not wish to engage with services.”

She added: “We are aware of a small population of rough sleepers for whom we hold statutory responsibility for and continue to engage with, ensuring emergency accommodation provision is available wherever possible. Given the current pressures and the lack of accessible housing supply we acknowledge the level of risk which could impact upon rough sleeping figures in the city and we will continue to review this with our key partners.”