THE number of rough sleepers in York has fallen for the fourth year running, figures show.

The official national street count of rough sleepers, which involves counting the number of people found sleeping on the streets, was carried out between October 1 and November 30, 2021.

The street count in York, carried out by City of York council, along with North Yorkshire Police and local homeless charities, found that there were four rough sleepers in the authority area.

However the Department of Housing, Communities, and Local Government data during one spot check over the same period found that there were no rough sleepers in York.

Between one and four rough sleepers were found in each year in 2010 and 2020.

However, the official number of people sleeping rough in York has continued to decline since 2017 - 29 were found in 2017, and seven were found in 2019.

York Press:

The council have stated that York’s decline of rough sleepers is largely due to them working with 'specialist partners' to offer beds to people sleeping rough in a variety of accommodation, and supporting people to stay in their accommodation and manage their issues which contribute to rough sleeping.

Cllr Denise Craghill, Executive Member for Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods, said: "No-one needs to sleep out in York, while four people doing so is four too many, I am pleased to see that our personalised approach and offer of tailored support is being accepted.

"We continue to seek out people who might be sleeping rough and to offer them a bed and support.

"Our tireless staff find creative solutions to sleeping out in order to persuade people to accept the help offered.

“This work has been supported by over £560,000 of Rough Sleeper Initiative (RSI) funding which is a £127,000 increase on last year.

"Our work will continue to ensure that even more people are secure in safe and lasting accommodation with the support they need.”

There has been a 43 per cent decline of rough sleepers found in England since 2019 following the Government’s Everyone In scheme, which provided councils with additional funding to house homeless people during the pandemic.

However, across England, the official national street counts have concluded that while rough sleeping has decreased in recent years, the latest figure represents a 38 per cent increase overall since records began in 2010.

Plus, the official street count only includes people sleeping rough outside, so the number of sofa surfers, and those sleeping in hostels and shelters, and traveller or recreational caravan sites are left uncounted.