Lambeth (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Lambeth defies London trend of rough sleeping, boasting the city’s largest reduction in number. New data reveals the borough’s strategies in tackling the issue.
According to Greater London Authority figures, the number of homeless people in the borough decreased by 40% between October and December 2024 as compared to the same time in 2023.
With a drop from 242 to 144, it was the biggest percentage drop among the 11 London boroughs with declining numbers of homeless persons.
According to Lambeth Councillor David Bridson, who believes they have a robust support network for individuals sleeping on the streets, he does not believe this is a coincidence.
The council provides outreach services every day in collaboration with Thames Reach, a homeless charity with headquarters in London.
Additional shifts are introduced to provide additional support under Severe Emergency Weather Protocol (SWEP) situations.
The Vulnerable Adults’ Pathway, which includes the 24-hour Lambeth Assessment Centre and specialised hostels, can then be used by the outreach team to house rough sleepers who require assistance with substance abuse, mental health concerns, and criminal activity.
Bridson said they assisted 18 people into emergency shelters during the November SWEP.
Additionally, a draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy will be consulted with Lambeth residents and stakeholders before being evaluated 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.”
The general rough sleeping figures in London are depressing to see when zoomed out of Lambeth.
In London, 4,612 persons were reported to be sleeping on the streets between October and December of 2024. Compared to the 4,389 rough sleepers from a year earlier, this is a 5% increase.
According to Gov.uk, the number of persons sleeping on the streets in England rose from 6.8% per 100,000 in 2023 to 8.1% in 2024
Despite his budgetary limitations, Lambeth can serve as a model for others, according to Thames Reach area director Isobel McKenna.
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.”
The outreach team and the 24-hour Lambeth assessment centre, which takes referrals for those who are rough sleeping or at danger of doing so, are two ways that Thames Reach assists Lambeth Council.
Additionally, the charity offers a rapid response team that searches for and assists homeless persons in finding housing every night.
Because this service has access to the 24-hour Lambeth Assessment Centre, anyone caught sleeping on the streets in Lambeth can get same-night access right away.
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.”
169 people have been taken off the streets and placed in appropriate housing by Thames Reach’s Lambeth outreach team in the last 12 months.
In the last quarter of 2024, Lambeth fell to 12th place in terms of the number of persons sleeping on the streets, after previously ranking fourth.
The Robes Project, a Southwark and Lambeth-based nonprofit that works to alleviate homelessness, has helped make significant progress.
Robes has been hosting Winter Night shelters for rough sleepers since early November.
Every night, guests go to a new church location, where they are provided with a warm and secure place to sleep, a wholesome meal, and a weeklong ticket for transportation.
Robes’ advise workers assist them in working toward longer-term housing while this goes on for 28 nights in a row.
Robes provide them with a floating support service after they are comfortable in order to help them avoid rough sleeping again.
Stanislaw*, for instance, held EU “Full Settled” status and had resided in the UK for several years prior to Brexit.
However, Stanislaw, who had a history of rough sleeping, attended Robes’ shelters after losing his job because he couldn’t afford the 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 is working part-time, has been sober for more than ten months, and has returned to school in an effort to better his future.
Robes has assisted him in getting off the streets, but the charity still has trouble paying for overhead and a few paid employees.
The majority of their revenue comes from donations, and they are always searching for new ways to raise money, including hosting a SleepOut event in 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.”
What are the initiatives taken by Lambeth in reducing rough sleeping?
Lambeth provides outreach services and support to rough sleepers in close collaboration with groups such as Thames Reach. In order to assist people in leaving the streets and finding stable housing, these collaborations are essential.
The focus of Lambeth’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy is on prevention, early intervention, and cooperation with several partners. Commissioning programs to assist rough sleepers with complex needs, like substance abuse and mental health concerns, is part of this strategy.
The municipality makes large investments in providing rough sleepers with housing services, including longer-term supported housing and emergency choices like night shelters. People’s access to secure and stable housing is facilitated by this investment.