Number of Derby rough sleepers increases by 68%

In 2023, 290 people were identified as sleeping rough in Derby

The number of people spending at least one night sleeping on the streets in Derby has increased by 68% in a year.

Derby Homes, which runs the city's council housing, said 290 people were identified as sleeping rough in 2023 compared to 173 in 2022.

But the figures do not include "hidden homeless people", says Derby Homes.

Chris Slack, the rough sleeper response coordinator for the organisation, says "people might be sofa-surfing, sleeping on floors, or of no fixed abode".

The figures are from a Freedom of Information (FOI) response.

Chris Slack is part of a team in Derby which check on people sleeping on the streets

Mr Slack is part of an outreach team which goes into Derby from Monday to Friday at 05:00 GMT.

He says the aim is to "engage with rough sleepers and get them off the streets and into accommodation".

H Beswarick has been supporting rough sleepers in Derby for the past 10 years.

She says: "Everybody in Derby has got an offer for accommodation, but for whatever reason they might find it difficult to take up.

"Some people don't like being inside, some people struggle a great deal with rules, so it's a matter of finding what options are going to work best for them."

Ms Beswarick is often part of the early morning team, which visit car parks and other spots across the city to support homeless people

One of the places the outreach team can refer people to is the Safe Space shelter run by Derby City Mission.

During the day, rough sleepers can use the facility to shower, wash their clothes and get something to eat.

In the evening, they will get a bed if someone from the Derby Homes team has referred them.

Darren, who is being supported by the service and did not want to give his surname, said he was helped "a lot" by the Safe Space shelter and is now in a Derby Homes flat.

He said the shelter was somewhere warm where you feel safer.

"A few years ago when you were sleeping on the street at weekends, a drunk would walk by and they would just kick you in the head while you were asleep," he added.