Local Councils Targeting Rough Sleepers
More than a third of local councils are now targeting rough sleepers with enforcement measures, research by Crisis has found.
A report in Metro says that nearly three-quarters of homeless people said they had experienced some kind of enforcement in the past year, with one in ten receiving a formal measure with legal penalties. Eight out of ten said they had not had any support or advice during their last experience of enforcement.
Crisis is now calling on local councils to make sure that legal measures are used only as a last resort for genuinely antisocial behaviour and that any rough sleepers affected are offered personalised and accessible support to escape the streets.
Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of Crisis, said: “There is a time and place for enforcement, and as a last resort it can play an important role in helping people off the street.”
“However, if it is used against a rough sleeper for genuinely antisocial behaviour then councils and police must make sure it is accompanied by accessible, meaningful support and accommodation to help that person escape the streets and rebuild their life. Without that support, they risk further marginalising rough sleepers and making it even harder for them to get help.”
The survey found:
- Nearly 70% of local councils use some form of enforcement to tackle antisocial behaviour.
- Local councils want to make increased use of new powers under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Over half intend to roll out new PSPOs, one in five intend to use CPNs (Community Protection Notices), and a fifth intend to make use of hostile architecture.
- 10% of rough sleepers had encountered a formal enforcement measure in the last 12 months, compared to 70% who had experienced an informal measure.
- 94% of local councils said that support and advice were always given alongside enforcement actions, but this generally referred only to legal actions. This was also reflected in a Freedom of Information request in which 21 local council reported that 374 referrals had been made to support or counselling services
- 81% of recent rough sleepers said they received no support in relation to the last enforcement measure they experienced – despite asking for it. While the numbers of rough sleepers receiving support was limited, the take up of support was quite high when it was offered, the two most common options being help accessing emergency accommodation or signposting to other organisations.
- While local authorities reported seeing a drop in anti-social behaviour in areas where they had measures in place, over a quarter also reported it rising in places where there was no enforcement.
- A third of rough sleepers said that enforcement had just made them move.
