Rough sleeper numbers 'drop by half' in city

Numbers of rough sleepers in Wolverhampton are lower than in the wider West Midlands, figures show

The number of people sleeping rough on the streets of Wolverhampton has almost halved, the council has said.

New figures show there are an average of six rough sleepers on a single night in the city, which has dropped from 11 in November 2022.

It has fallen to one of its lowest levels ever, the City of Wolverhampton Council added.

Statistics have been released by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities after its most recent count on Thursday October 26, 2023.

Wolverhampton has bucked the trend of the wider West Midlands, where there was a 2% increase in rough sleepers across the same period - but this represents the lowest regional figure across the country.

Nationally, the figure rose by 27% in 2023 compared to the year before.

Those found sleeping on the streets of Wolverhampton on the night the figures were collected have now been offered long-term accommodation.

A facility, Peter Bilson House, was opened last year to help address the issue.

Peter Bilson House opened in Wolverhampton last year and the support it offers rough sleepers is already showing results

Located in Bond Street, it provides accommodation, support and emergency bed spaces for people who are sleeping rough.

Named after late Councillor Peter Bilson, its facilities sit alongside services, including the council's pathway support service run by social inclusion charity P3.

Steve Evans, deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, said: “In its first year Peter Bilson House is already helping to transform the lives of vulnerable people in our city, allowing people to live safe and independent lives with the backing of arms-length support as and when required.

"In a small number of cases individuals sometimes refuse help or support for various reasons, but we will still endeavour to work with anyone who is homeless through our dedicated outreach support.

P3’s head of support and community services, Sam Bailey, added: “Our priority is for people to have somewhere safe and settled to call home, and access to the right personalised emotional and practical assistance to turn their life around.”