Charities say 'shameful' as 'more than 300 people' rough sleeping in Coventry

More than 300 people were classified as rough sleeping in Coventry over the past year, a new investigation has revealed. Rising levels of unemployment and a lack of affordable housing have led to people being forced into poverty across the UK.

Figures obtained by Advice found that Coventry City Council logged 822 counts of rough sleeping in the city since 2021. It is one of the most visible types of homelessness as it includes sleeping outside or in places not designed for people to live in, including cars, doorways, and abandoned buildings.

It has become a prevalent issue in Coventry in recent years, with people setting up camp next to disused city centre buildings, including Topshop on Broadgate. Others have been seen next to Timpson and Poundland on Market Way.

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Many rough sleepers are vulnerable and struggle with physical and mental issues, including drug use, according to Advice. In 2018, the average age of a rough sleeper at death for men was 44 years old, and for women, it was just 42.

In 2021/22, the number of people sleeping rough counted by Coventry City Council stood at 284. However, they were unable to confirm if these were unique individuals as they may have been 'counted twice.'

A year later, this number decreased to 235, which is the lowest number of rough sleepers over the three-year period. In the past year, there has been a rise in rough sleepers in the city, standing at 303.

Charity Riverside, which provides hostel accommodation, said there had been no significant investment in hostels in England since 2011. Bosses say the number of bed spaces in England had fallen by almost a quarter between 2010 and 2022.

Speaking to the Big Issue, John Glenton, the Executive Director of Riverside, said: “Increased investment in supported housing would provide more spaces to help get more people out of temporary accommodation into a dedicated space where they can receive the support they need.”

Data revealed that 358,370 households contacted their local authority for support after being threatened with homelessness or losing their home in the past year, according to Advice. Charities called the figures 'shameful' and urged PM Keir Starmer to 'act to put an end to rough sleeping.'

In a statement to CoventryLive, Coventry City Council said: “Our Rough Sleeping Outreach Team is out across the city early morning Monday to Friday throughout the year, looking for and engaging with people sleeping rough. Although the overall numbers found are significant, 30 per cent of people are only found once.

“In the past year, we found 303 unique people, and that is why Coventry City Council also works with partners to ensure people sleeping rough are able to access services that will assist them to secure and maintain accommodation.

“Anyone who sees someone sleeping outside overnight should report the details and location to thestreetlink.org.uk, and the Rough Sleeping Outreach Team will visit them and encourage them to get support and find accommodation.”

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