London’s increase in people sleeping rough has been a perennial issue, but the latest figures from Lambeth portray a different picture.
The borough saw a 40% decrease in people sleeping rough in October to December 2024, compared to the same period of 2023, according to data from Greater London Authority.
It was the largest percentage fall in people sleeping rough, from 242 to 144, among the 11 London boroughs which recorded decreased numbers.
Lambeth Councillor David Bridson does not think this is a coincidence, claiming they have a strong support system for people sleeping rough.
The council partners with Thames Reach, a London-based homelessness charity, to deliver daily outreach services.
In cases of Severe Emergency Weather Protocol (SWEP), extra shifts are added to provide additional support.
The outreach team can then use the Vulnerable Adults’ Pathway, which includes the 24-hour Lambeth Assessment Centre and specialist hostels, to accommodate rough sleepers with support needs around substance use, mental health issues and offending.
During the November SWEP, they supported 18 individuals into emergency shelters, according to Bridson.
There are further plans to consult Lambeth residents and stakeholders on a draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy which will be reviewed by the council’s cabinet in the spring.
Bridson said: “One of the main priorities of the strategy is to ensure that rough sleeping is prevented where possible and that when it does occur, it is rare, brief and non-recurrent.
“The long-term physical and mental health impacts of sleeping rough are often significant. Where it occurs, we will take steps to ensure that these occurrences are rare, brief and not repeated.”
Zooming out of Lambeth, the overall rough sleeping numbers in London make for grim viewing.
Between October and December 2024, a total of 4,612 people were recorded as sleeping rough in London. This marks a 5% increase compared to the 4,389 rough sleepers from a year ago.
The rate of individuals sleeping rough in England increased from 6.8% per 100,000 people in 2023 to 8.1% in 2024, according to Gov.uk.
Thames Reach area director Isobel McKenna believes Lambeth, while working within financial constraints, can set an example for others to follow.
She said: “The borough is well resourced and there has been a lot of focus on reducing rough sleeping wherever possible through joint efforts from the council and voluntary sector partners.
“Lambeth is always working hard to reduce the prevalence and impact of rough sleeping.”
Thames Reach not only helps Lambeth Council with the outreach team, but also the 24-hour Lambeth assessment centre which accepts referrals for people who are rough sleeping or at risk of it.
The charity also provides a rapid response team which works every night to find and support people who are sleeping on the streets into accommodation.
This service has access to the 24-hour Lambeth assessment centre, meaning in Lambeth there is immediate same-night access for people found rough sleeping.
McKenna added: “It is a huge advantage in ending someone’s rough sleeping as quickly and safely as possible.
“We focus on keeping our interventions and support as brief as possible, our aim is for people to move on with their lives.
“We want to increase the opportunities for people to find work, including with ourselves, and make sure the transition to work is as smooth as possible with personalised support available.”
Over the past 12 months, Thames Reach’s Lambeth outreach team has moved 169 individuals off the streets into suitable accommodation.
Previously, Lambeth ranked fourth for the highest number of people sleeping rough, but dropped to 12th in the final quarter of 2024.
Another homelessness charity, The Robes Project, which is based in Southwark and Lambeth, has contributed to this improvement.
Since the beginning of November, Robes has hosted Winter Night shelters for rough sleepers.
Guests attend a different church venue each night, given a safe and warm place to sleep along with a nutritious dinner and a weekly travel pass to get to their venues.
This continues for 28 consecutive nights, while Robes’ advice workers concurrently help them work towards longer-term accommodation.
Once they are settled, Robes offers them a floating support service to help prevent repeat rough sleeping.
For example, Stanislaw* had lived in the UK for many years before Brexit with EU “Full Settled” status.
But after losing his job, Stanislaw, who had a history of rough sleeping, entered Robes’ shelters as he was unable to afford rent.
Robes CEO Lisa Moodie said: “It became apparent that Stanislaw had struggled with alcohol misuse but was not willing to address this whilst he was in our shelters.
“We were able to help Stanislaw access private rental, and once accommodated he felt ready to get support around his drinking.”
Stanislaw has now been sober for over 10 months, is working part time, and has gone back to college to improve his prospects.
He is just one of many that Robes has helped move off the streets, but the charity still struggles with funding a small number of paid staff and overheads.
Donations make up the majority of their income, and they are constantly on the lookout for fundraising ideas such as their SleepOut event every November
Moodie added: “We often say at Robes ‘it takes a village’, and it’s our firm belief that if we all work together towards a common goal, great things can be achieved.”
All images courtesy of Thames Reach
*name changed to preserve anonymity
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