Some Crawley rough sleepers back on streets after losing accommodation

In an effort to keep homeless people safe during the pandemic, the council has given 64 rough sleepers a roof over their heads since the lockdown began.

During his weekly online Q&A, leader Peter Lamb said: “In some cases they have been housed and then they’ve lost that through abusing the rules around that, they haven’t been able to sustain that tenancy.”

A council spokesman said there had been ten such incidents, adding that some of those involved were offered other accommodation while some made their own arrangements.

Other temporary tenancies were lost because the person had been taken into custody, recalled to prison, had been hospitalised or sectioned, or simply chose to go elsewhere.

Whatever the case, the spokesman added: “All are offered help with wraparound services such as drug and alcohol services, basics such as food, help with claiming benefits and referrals to mental health services.”

The council now has 261 homeless households in temporary accommodation, with ‘very few’ rough sleepers left on the streets.

During his Q&A, Mr Lamb said there had been ‘no legal reason’ for the council to house rough sleepers, other than wanting to get them off the streets.

He added: “We’re doing everything we can to try and help the homeless into housing. It’s very difficult quite often to get people into housing.

“They have reasons. There are a lot of mental health difficulties that they face living on the street a long time – there’s a lot of substance abuse issues.

“It’s only natural if you’re living in the appalling conditions that many of them have had to – or that you’ve suffered a lot of the things that have put them in that situation.

“Unless you can connect them up with all the support – and unless they’re willing to access it – quite often it’s not possible to keep them permanently rehoused.”

Mr Lamb asked people to let the council know if they see anyone sleeping rough, to allow outreach workers to approach them and offer help.

He added: “The system only works if we’re connected up with those people.”

Crawley Borough Council can be reached via crawley.gov.uk or on 01293 438000.

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