What is rough sleeping?

Rough sleeping means sleeping outside or in a place not meant for people to live in, such as, parks, bus shelters, abandoned buildings, doorways, cars or tents.

It’s the most visible and extreme form of homelessness.

Why it happens

Rough sleeping isn’t usually a choice. It often happens because of many different problems, including:

• relationship breakdowns
• mental health issues
• substance use
• poverty and unemployment
• lack of affordable housing
• leaving care, prison, or hospital without support

The impact

Rough sleeping is unsafe and can seriously harm people’s health and wellbeing. It can:

• affect physical and mental health
• increase risk of violence and exploitation
• make it harder to access services and support
• shorten life expectancy significantly

We’re committed to helping anyone experiencing rough sleeping. Our reporting tool allows anyone to share the location of someone sleeping rough, so we can reach out and offer support.