Bury Council and partners have now supported 55 former rough sleepers into settled housing since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, helping connect these people to the housing, food and health care they need.
The support to rough sleepers is provided by Bury Council’s homelessness team and the rough sleeper outreach service, working together with Bury Homeless Partnership. Bury Homeless Partnership is a multi-agency alliance with recognised and valued partners which works every day to find and support rough sleepers, to get them off the streets for good.
During the coronavirus pandemic, the council saw a significant rise in the number of rough sleepers within the borough. Through proactive, robust and joined-up work each person was offered a safe place to sleep with support and food and provided with help to build a better life away from the streets.
Councillor Clare Cummins, the cabinet member for housing services, said: “We do still have a small number of rough sleepers that we are continuing to engage with and provide outreach support, but due to the success of our multi-agency approach, most are now safe in our supported emergency accommodation.”
Rough sleeping is the most visible form of homelessness that is typically associated with sleeping outside but also refers to sleeping in a place not designated for living such as an empty building or a car.
Some rough sleepers need support to help resolve a range of problems, not just housing. The council has developed links with a range of services to assist with issues such as health and mental health conditions, domestic abuse, substance misuse, low self-esteem and managing debt,
Cllr Cummins continued: “Through successful bids for funding, we have the resources and extra capacity we need to support and accommodate all rough sleepers in the borough. This is especially important as we enter the season of colder, potentially life-threatening weather.
“No-one should have to sleep rough in Bury - if you see someone you are concerned about, please tell us so that vulnerable people can be helped to stay safe and off our streets.”
For homeless information and advice visit www.bury.gov.uk/homeless. To tell Bury Council about someone that is rough sleeping visit www.bury.gov.uk/roughsleepers or phone 0161 253 5537.
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