Council working to tackle homelessness after four die without a home

Over the past five years, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that 22 homeless deaths have been confirmed in St Helens, with four of these occurring last year.

As some homeless deaths may go unrecorded, the ONS estimates a figure slightly higher than this, with 30 deaths over the past five years.

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At least four homeless people are reported to have died in St Helens in 2021 (Image: Radar)

Council working tirelessly to tackle rough sleeping

With people forced into homelessness for a number of reasons, such as poverty, unemployment, or relationship breakups, it is inevitably more difficult to resolve these problems when homeless.

In the current climate, with the cost of living crisis and frozen housing benefits, it may be an even bigger task to get off the streets and onto the housing ladder.

Aware of the mental and physical health impacts that homelessness can have, St Helens Council say they are "working tirelessly" to reduce the number of people living on the streets.

This includes operating the Housing Options and Advice Team, Early Intervention Team, involvement in the National Rough Sleeper Initiative, and increasing the number of accommodation for people with a history of, rough sleeping.

The council also funds temporary accommodation as a short-term solution.

Further organisations such as Teardrops, YMCA, and the Hope Centre all work to support homeless and vulnerable people in St Helens.

Teardrops staff and volunteers with an Easter Egg donation in 2019 (Image: Teardrops)

A profoundly damaging impact

Councillor Jeanie Bell, St Helens Council’s Cabinet Member for Safer Stronger Communities, said: “Homelessness has a profoundly damaging impact on a person’s physical and mental wellbeing, with many individuals experiencing untreated and undiagnosed health issues, while also being more at risk of harmful drug and alcohol use.  

“It’s why we work tirelessly with our partners to ensure no one in the borough is either forced to sleep rough or left homeless and is given the best possible support to improve their circumstances.

“Prevention is also a priority, and our Housing Options and Advice Team and Early Intervention Teams are working with families and individuals who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness, with pressure increasing as residents across the borough face the cost-of-living crisis.

“Among the programmes we have been actively involved with is the National Rough Sleeper Initiative, funding for which for 2022-25 was almost a million pounds, which we will use to provide emergency bed spaces, and additional specialist roles to support people who have experienced rough sleeping. 

“We also recognise that the issues and needs of a homeless person often go beyond being simply being homeless and the council has an established drugs and alcohol support service, a homeless health service and there is already a rough sleeping outreach service that includes a clinical nurse to address health needs.

“Last year the council worked with local housing partners to provide 28 new units of accommodation for people who had a history of rough sleeping or were at risk of rough sleeping, with 12 new units coming online early in 2023 funded through Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme.

"This is in addition to the two existing homeless-supported housing schemes provided within the borough.”

Homelessness support and advice

For more information on homelessness help at St Helens Council, follow this link.

Teardrops Supporting Your Community's website can be found here.

The St Helens YMCA website can be found here.

Information about the Hope Centre's Hope House project can be found here.

Merseyside's The Whitechapel Centre can be found here.

For further information, you can visit the Crisis website here.

Shelter's website can be found here.