Rough sleeping on the rise in Coventry, exclusive figures show
By ITV News Central Journalist Hannah Kings
Bin sheds, doorsteps and cars are some of the places people sleeping on the streets in the Midlands have tried to make a home, with exclusive new figures showing homelessness is set to rise dramatically.
Figures seen by ITV News show that around 250 people have been sleeping rough in Coventry in the past three months - a 37% increase in the last year.
Homelessness charity Crisis predicts that across the Midlands, the number of households facing what they call ‘core homelessness’ - that includes sleeping on streets, in vehicles and non-residential buildings and sofa surfing - will reach 47,800 by 2024 - an increase of 3,100 since 2022.
“Lonely, scared…yes, lonely and scared”
“Lonely, scared…yes, lonely and scared”, one woman describes her experience of sleeping on the streets.
“I never thought I’d be in that situation - no-one does. No-one would want to”.
“I became homeless, and I was sleeping on the streets - doorways, doorsteps. I was literally sleeping on the floor. It was horrible. I used to sleep in bin sheds - I actually made a home in a bin shed once”.
Kayleigh is now being supported by the outreach team - who go out every day responding to reports of people sleeping rough and offering help to those who need it.
In Coventry, around 250 people have been found sleeping rough in the past three months.
That’s an increase of 37% compared with the same time last year.
In projections seen exclusively by ITV News, homelessness charity Crisis predicts that across the Midlands, the number of households facing what they call ‘core homelessness’ - that includes sleeping on streets, in vehicles and non-residential buildings and sofa surfing - will reach 47,800 by 2024 - an increase of 3,100 since 2022.
The council says there are a number of reasons behind the increase in rough sleeping in the city - from a shortage of affordable housing to mental health and substance abuse issues. But it says that to address the problem, it needs the government to commit to funding in the long term.
Councillor David Welsh said: “Funding tends to be on a temporary basis - you get an award for so long. That is one of the challenges - if you want to keep good staff, then they need security. To keep services going and provide a quality service, you do need security in terms of funding".
In Coventry, one of the places people can go is Harnall Lifehouse, which is run by the Salvation Army but receives funding from the council. It has five emergency beds, where people who urgently need somewhere to sleep can stay for just one night, or a weekend at the most.
The day we were at the lifehouse, one man who had stayed told us about the difference it had made to him. He didn’t want his name to be used, but asked us to call him Reece.
“It’s been a really, really big difference. Just literally, Wednesday night from sleeping on a really cold wet floor - just trying to cover up and put on all the clothes that we own just to stay warm - to having a nice shower, getting asked if we want food and having a warm, soft bed to lay our head for the night. It just goes to show that it’s not forever, and there is a bit of hope”.
The life house is full most nights, and they often have to send people for whom they don’t have space to accommodation elsewhere - which could be miles away. Service Manager Shanti said more provision is needed to help people before they reach the crisis point where they need emergency accommodation.
“The people who present to us have very complex lives, and due to those complexities, they really need some funding in regards to preventative work. There’s always a need for funding in regard to mental health provision; substance misuse. I think when you talk to all of those services, everyone would say they’re underfunded. I think if nothing is done soon, I can see it getting progressively worse”.
The Government says it is spending £2 billion over three years to end rough sleeping and prevent homelessness before it occurs - including £530 million through the Rough Sleeping Initiative to fund local services.
We asked Reece where he expected to sleep the night after he left the life house.
“I’m not 100% sure. Most nights we try not to sleep because it’s scary. You never know what’s going to happen if you’re sleeping on the streets”.
Asked how it feels not knowing where he’ll stay, “Scary” is his reply. “It is scary”.
With increasing numbers of people in the region facing that uncertainty, those like Reece and Kayleigh want to see a change, soon.
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