Homeless people in Bournemouth are being driven away by the ear-piercing sound of bagpipe music. The city centre travel interchange has adopted the sound as a deterrent to those wishing to sleep there.

More than a dozen homeless men and women used to congregate by the station’s restrooms in the Dorset bus station, according to local newspaper The Daily Echo.

The initiative was introduced after the rough sleepers reportedly intimidated passers-by and hurled drunken abuse at women. Between midnight and 6:30am the shrill sound is played out on repeat over the speakers, and so far it appears to have kept away those looking for a place to sleep.

“It seems to be doing the job,” one unnamed station worker said. “They just cannot stand it, you try getting any sleep with that going on,” he added. However, one local, who asked not to be named, told the paper: “What a daft idea, all that will do is send them elsewhere, these people need practical help.”

The scheme was introduced by Dorset Police and Bournemouth Borough Council, which said it was working hard to address issues of street anti-social behavior. “This has included regular police patrols, proactive input from our rough sleeper team, and we have been trialling the playing of music in the evenings and night time to deter rough sleeping,” a spokesman said.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, is targeting housing benefit to pay for a climb down over tax credit changes, according to The Sunday Times. Mr. Osborne has faced stiff resistance from both political opponents and Conservative rebels over plans to slash tax credits for millions of working families.

Under plans announced in the Summer budget, around three million working families would lose £1,300 a year in vital income. Osborne is looking to save £4.4bn from the tax credits bill, as part of a £12bn cut in overall welfare spending.

The Chancellor proposed increasing the taper rate for Universal Credit to reduce the impact of the cuts, meaning those affected would lose 75p of each pound taken home over the earnings threshold – rather than 65p. Opponents argue that the move would undermine work incentives by removing the principle that Universal Credit rewards people for moving into work or taking on more hours.

However, it was reported that Work and Pensions Secretary, Ian Duncan Smith, threatened to resign if Osborne raided the Universal Credit budget to offset his cuts. Allies of IDS say he has managed to fend off the Chancellor, who is now said to be targeting deeper cuts to housing benefit instead.

Iain Duncan Smith is reportedly looking at a social housing shared ownership scheme, in an attempt to bring down the £24.6bn housing benefit bill. Tenants living in social housing for longer than three years will be offered 70% of the equity in the home and rent the remaining 30%.

Meanwhile, Osborne is said to be bringing forward plans to increase the income personal tax allowance.

But Conservative rebel, Stephen McPartland, said: “The simple fact is that for those families on very low incomes, these changes will hurt them not help them.” Mr. McPartland also revealed figures obtained from the House of Commons Library, showing that hundreds of thousands of people claiming child tax credit would also be affected.

“The Chancellor now has to come forward with measures not only to mitigate the effects of the changes to tax credits, but to guarantee to protect families’ child tax credits”.

A government source told the Sunday Times: “Iain’s won the day. No one wants him resigning. Housing benefit is now being looked at instead.” However, they warned that less severe cuts to tax credits are still likely to go ahead. “There are still questions around universal credit but you’re not going to see anything like 75p”, they said.

A programme involving dispensing alcohol, just like medication, may be an answer to problems associated with homeless people battling chronic drink problems, say researchers. A new report, Feasibility of a Managed Alcohol Program (MAP) for Sydney’s homeless, has been prepared by St Vincent’s Hospital and funded by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education.

Unlike here in the UK, in Australia housing and other services targeting the homeless require abstinence before they will work with them. However, participants in the new scheme would be provided with housing, health and social services at a centre where they’d also be supplied with a standard drink hourly from 7am to 10pm.

Most alcohol-related services in the UK do not allow their clients to drink while on the premises. But, in the late 1970s, ‘wet’ projects were established in response to the recognition that for some homeless heavy drinkers this was an unrealistic requirement that excluded them from services and did nothing to address concerns over street drinking.

MAPs lead researcher, Dr. Nadine Ezard, said: “Alcohol dependent homeless people experience higher rates of chronic illness, injuries and assaults, longer hospital stays, increased mortality, and higher levels of contact with the criminal justice system. Many also suffer from mental illness and alcohol-related brain injury.”

The researchers reviewed the evidence on MAPs and conducted a small survey of potential MAP users in Sydney to estimate the costs and savings in setting one up a pilot 15-person facility in the city. They found the costs would easily be offset by medical, criminal justice, and crisis accommodation savings, estimating a net benefit of at least $485,000.

Those surveyed were asked about a day shelter or a residential facility that either allowed bring-your-own alcohol or provided one drink every hour for 15 hours a day. Most indicated a strong interest in a MAP, preferably for the residential model, being prepared to pay up to 90 per cent of their income where alcohol was provided.

Noting public nuisance and cost savings, Dr. Ezard said one participant had taken part in a short-term withdrawal program 116 times. MAPs could also prevent people from drinking “non-beverage alcohol” such as methylated spirits or hospital hand wash.

Dr. Ezard concluded: “We are trying to start a dialogue, very much from a public health, harm reduction perspective, and put forward an alternative for policymakers.”

More than 100,000 children will wake up homeless on Christmas morning, according to a new report. The number of children being forced to live in temporary housing is at the highest level since 2008, with the numbers rocketing by 15,000 in the past year.

The report, from the housing charity Shelter, warns that the equivalent of four children in every UK school are living in temporary accommodation – the highest level since the financial crash in 2008. The number of families living in B&Bs has more than trebled, to about 2,700, with a rise of 25% in the past year alone.

Shelter’s Alison Mohammed said, “The sad fact is almost every day we hear from families who’ve fallen on hard times and found themselves living in a single, cramped room of a B&B or hostel, unable to give their children the environment they need to grow and thrive in.

“Worrying about your child’s safety, eating dinners on the floor and sharing beds is no way for a family to live. But, sadly, we know we’re going to have even more families facing Christmas without a place to call home.”

The report also looked at 20 families living in single rooms and found children suffering from extreme anxiety. Many children and parents had to share a bed, most also said their room was in a state of disrepair, and more than half saying it was not secure. Many also had to eat meals on the floor or on their bed.

The dismal statistics come amid a housing crisis with families priced out by sky-high rents.

Venus are renowned for the diverse range of activities and sessions that happen at Our Place, that anyone in the community can get involved with. One such activity is our Makers Project.

The Makers Project started off with a funded tutor a year ago, with the aim of supporting people to participate and develop cottage-industry skills like various crafts, sewing, crocheting, knitting, card making, etc. The hope was that this could develop into a Community Interest Company (CIC), a not-for-profit, self-sufficient organisation that helps people develop skills. Any income generated from the endeavor is then ploughed back into the business.

The tutor has now ended her work with the group, but it has been so successful the participants now meet weekly of their own accord and organised stalls at local craft fairs to sell their wares. The group is really welcoming and supportive, and the Centre is a hive of activity when they are around!

As well as making items to sell, the group is also developing skills in making and repairing clothing, which is really helpful to everyone concerned. Some of the group now regularly bring the odd item of clothing for hemming or adjusting in some way.

The group is open to anyone who is interested in taking part, so call Venus on 0151 474 4744 or drop in at The Venus Centre, 215 Linacre Lane, Bootle, L20 6AD, for more information.