900 ‘street-users’ in Leeds during 2019, claims report

It also claims more than 500 people were reported as begging on the streets at least once, but that work is being done to solve the problem.

The deputy leader of Leeds City Council claimed many street users – people who sleep rough and/or beg – actually responded better to offers of help from the council during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The report is the result of an inquiry into the living conditions of the city’s street users, following the deaths of 10 people between October 2017 and March 2019.

It states: “It is vital that in reflecting on the Leeds independent review findings and learning, the city considers the people behind the deaths; people who loved, laughed, were friends, brothers, sisters, children and parents with hopes and aspirations as well as experiencing, for example, addiction, homelessness, mental and physical ill-health and loss.”

The report then featured anonymous quotes from those on the streets who were interviewed.

One of which said: “We’re only supporting one another because no one else is supporting us with our grief. It’s sad, it’s a terrible life out there, it’s just sad”

Another added: “I lost everything all at once; my job, my family, my hope”, while a further quote read: “I never used to trust the professionals. I hated them, they took my kids away. Every professional in my life was bad in my eyes. But now the roles have reversed. They’ve helped me sustain the life that I’m living now.”

During 2019, there were 900-plus known street users seen – 446 were recorded rough sleeping at least once, while 541 were reported begging at least once.

Leeds City Council’s deputy leader Coun Debra Coupar said the authority would continue to work to provide support for homeless people – and that steps to offer alternative accommodation to homeless people would continue.

“Because of Covid, it would often give people a reason to engage with us on a more positive footing,” she added. “The government did give us funding around that.

“But we need all the help we can get from the government around that – we still can offer accommodation to people in need, so they don’t have to take to the streets.

“We were talking with temporary accommodation in those hotels – we would like to continue to do that for as long as it is needed and as long as we have the resources to do it.”

Senior council officer James Rogers said: “This is a changing issue for the city – we have increased the partnership working in the course of the last two years.

“We have not solved everything – but what we have achieved in the last two years has been positive.”

The report stated that as of the end of February 2020, there was an estimated 200 active known street users.

It added: “The Leeds Street Team are currently working intensively with 100

individuals, through an assigned professional lead and bespoke person centred intervention plan as well as engaging with new people presenting on the streets, to intervene early and provide support.”

Of the 400+ people sleeping rough in the city, nearly half were only seen in a single month. The council claims this indicated a “transient and fluid population”.

The report added: “Almost all individuals have some form of substance misuse issue, with alcohol and drug use prevalent. A history of trauma and childhood/ adult adversities and experiences are common, especially among the more frequent rough sleepers.

“Complex needs and lack of trust in services complicates support, with several of the most entrenched rough sleepers unwilling, and sometimes directly opposed to, engage with services.”

Of the 500-plus individuals reported as begging in the city, around a third were frequent beggars, reported begging on more than 3 months

in the year.

It added: “Individuals with complex needs are more likely to also be rough sleepers and demonstrate the issues relating to unwillingness to engagement with support services.

“For those on the street for the first time, especially younger adults, experiencing homelessness can make them extremely vulnerable, and they face multifarious challenges; there is an increased risk of exploitation, violence and abuse against them, trafficking, and involvement in gang or organised criminal activity.”

The document said street users often form strong social groups, and often do not want to be isolated in a tenancy.

It added: “For many a street based life offers people an extended social network; it can become their community; they do not want to be isolated in a tenancy on their own as when they are on the streets they can make connections, form relationships, feel and be part of an extended community.

“Some become entrenched; they form strong social groups on the streets in the face of really difficult living conditions, and the only focus of each day is survival.”

The report is set to be discussed by Leeds City Council’s Executive Board on Wednesday, October 21.