Leeds Street Support
Outcome/aim
To support homeless people and to reduce rough sleeping and begging. Homeless people, especially rough sleepers, are at disproportionate risk of premature death, and experience ill-health at greater rates and at an earlier age than the general population. As part of the response to Covid-19, 944 homeless people have been supported through a temporary accommodation offer in Leeds.
Background
In the winter of 2017/18, Leeds witnessed a visible increase in the numbers of people rough sleeping and begging on the streets. As a result, Leeds City Council brought together various statutory and third sector services and established the Leeds Street Support Team. The approach focused on safeguarding a highly vulnerable population through a compassionate response, whilst addressing associated anti-social behaviour and criminality through enforcement as a last resort. Person-centred approaches were developed through listening to people with lived experience and learning ‘what works’.
When the government issued the ‘Everyone In’ directive as part of Covid-19 restrictions, the city was able to offer all people on the streets and those at risk, safe temporary emergency accommodation. Hotels and staff were organised to meet the requirement for individual rooms, suitable for isolating and shielding during the restrictions.
The scheme was in place for over a year and 944 people were supported through this temporary accommodation offer, many of which were at risk of homelessness and around 200 were known to have been on the streets previously. The majority have now been allocated accommodation, and all that were identified as former rough sleepers were assessed and offered accommodation.
What has been delivered?
A person centred delivery model has improved service for people in need, for example:
- Collective intelligence and insight used to identify and prioritise individuals in need.
- ‘In-reach’ staff introduced at local hospital / prison to reduce risk of return to streets.
- On-street medical provision introduced, with access to patient records.
- ‘Navigators’ introduced to support people in their homes to maintain tenancies and reduce the risk of returning to streets.
- Pilot of female-only ‘Somewhere Safe to Stay Hub’
- Developed an innovative spice detox programme and trained and equipping team with Naloxone, a lifesaving drug.
- Developed the Leeds Homeless Charter with grass roots charities, devising a set of standards of how organisations should work people in need on the streets.
During Covid-19 properties have been purchased or remodelled to provide accommodation through external funding, including 10 one-bed properties off the open-market.
What was the impact?
The impact of the collective partnership work for many service users has been positive and has enabled people to move on, away from the streets and aid them in their recovery journey.
As of the mid-June, there are 40 individual former rough sleepers in temporary emergency accommodation, all known to the Leeds Street Support Team, and work continues to engage and encourage them to take up offers. Since the introduction of the project in late 2018, regular observations of rough sleepers have reduced from an average of around 50 to around 25.
Next Steps
Moving forward, Leeds is now exploring options to bid for funding, as part of the second round of Rough Sleepers Accommodation Programme, and plan to work closer with key stakeholders including registered providers and social landlords, seeking their support and offers of commitment on the homeless agenda.