More than a dozen rough sleepers in Milton Keynes – as numbers across England soar

But the council say the individuals have been offered help and refused
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Sixteen people were sleeping rough in Milton Keynes last year, new estimates show.

It comes as numbers across England soared, with homelessness charities blaming the Government's "ineffectiveness" to solve the housing crisis.

But Milton Keynes City Council say they are on top of the problem – and all the city’s rough sleepers have either been offered help or else they were not genuinely homeless at all.

There were 16 rough sleepers in Milton Keynes last Autumn, figures showThere were 16 rough sleepers in Milton Keynes last Autumn, figures show
There were 16 rough sleepers in Milton Keynes last Autumn, figures show

And they have urged people not to give money to rough sleepers who are begging, and nobody needs money to get into the city’s free shelters.

The Government previously pledged to end rough sleeping by 2024, but since the "Everyone In" scheme – which housed homeless people in emergency hotels during the coronavirus pandemic – ended in 2021, the number of people sleeping on the streets has rocketed.

The figure of 16 local rough sleepers comes from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and are based on a snapshot of a single night in autumn last year . The number was down from 24 the year before.

Nationally, the number of people estimated to be sleeping rough rose by 27% last year to 3,898.

This remains below pre-pandemic levels, but represents a significant increase of 60% in the last two years.

The count includes people sleeping outside, but does not cover sofa surfers, those in hostels or shelters, or people in recreational or traveller sites, and figures are generally considered to be an undercount of the true number.

Matt Downie, chief executive of Crisis, said the scale of rough sleeping is a "source of national shame".

Mr Downie urged the Government to rethink its strategy and provide long-term funding for proven solutions which help people get off the streets.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said the Government "cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the housing emergency".

Ms Neate said the Government has not built enough social homes, forcing thousands of people to "spend their nights freezing on street corners" due to record high rents.

Ms Neate also warned of the record high number of people living in temporary accommodation.

Further DLUHC figures show 109,000 households in England were living in temporary accommodation as of September.

This was up 10% on the last year, and the highest figure on record.

It included 831 households in Milton Keynes – 37 less than the year before.

Meanwhile, the number of children living in temporary accommodation also hit a record-high 142,490, including 1,081 in Milton Keynes.

A DLUHC spokesperson said: "We are now spending an unprecedented £2.4 billion to help people at risk of homelessness and support rough sleepers, including £220 million announced this week, which will help fund thousands of beds and specialist support services across the country through councils.”

They added: "Whilst we have made good progress and rough sleeping remains below pre-pandemic levels, there is more work to be done to meet our ambition to end it entirely, and we will continue to work with local authorities to help people off the streets for good."