Levels of rough sleeping are on the increase across the UK. To end rough sleeping, solutions need to address both accommodation and support needs.
We think that the Government should implement a cross departmental national rough sleeping strategy. This would drive a coordinated approach to reducing and ultimately achieving the goal of ending rough sleeping.
We have carried out a feasibility study in Liverpool City region on Housing First to help address rough sleeping in the region. Housing First is an evidence-based approach which supports homeless people with complex needs and histories of entrenched or repeat homelessness to live in their own homes. It provides a stable, independent home as well as intensive personalised support.
The Housing First feasibility study in Liverpool provides a toolkit for other areas looking to implement Housing First in their area.
In Scotland, the Scottish Government's Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group, chaired by Crisis chief executive Jon Sparkes, has made a series of recommendations designed to end rough sleeping in Scotland.
See also the latest research about types of homelessness in our knowledge hub.