If you come across someone that you believe may be street homeless or roofless and in need of help, we may be able to help them.

Rough Sleeper Service

Stevenage Borough Council have a Rough Sleeper team who are available to anyone who is street homeless within Stevenage.

We have officers that can assist with advice and support surrounding homelessness and rough sleeping.

Outreach – The Rough Sleeper team will conduct periodic outreach, engaging with rough sleepers where they are staying and facilitating communication between the individual and services.

StreetLink - The Rough Sleeper team receive and act upon StreetLink referrals.

Practical Support - The service can also assist with emergency food packages, food bank referrals and clothing.

Hostels – The Rough Sleeper team can refer rough sleepers into hostel accommodation. This could be in the local area or further afield depending on the wishes or suitability of the individual.

We work very closely with local organisations, including Change Grow Live, MIND and One YMCA, to provide rough sleepers with a holistic and person centred approach. These range from practical support with accommodation, substance misuse support and treatment as well as mental health support.

Housing Futures - Our Rough Sleeper service also operates Housing Futures. This is a very limited accommodation service with wrap around support for street homeless clients in Stevenage. There is a very limited number of spaces available and clients must be deemed suitable for the service.

A referral can be made to the Rough Sleeper Team through Housing Options at Stevenage Borough Council or directly.

To contact the Rough Sleeper Team directly please come into the customer services centre at SBC, call 01438 242242 or email Roughsleeperteam@stevenage.gov.uk.

Reporting the homeless

If you come across someone you believe may be homeless and in need of help, please advise them to go to our Customer Service Centre on Danestrete or to call 01438 242242.

After contact has been made, a caseworker from our Housing Options team will assess their housing needs and complete a referral form to the Rough Sleeper Team, who will then complete outreach to where the person is reported to be sleeping and make contact to offer support. The Rough Sleeper Team can then refer street homeless clients to local accommodation providers which could be to One YMCA in Stevenage or other hostel providers.

Details of any 18 to 25-year-olds who need a hostel referral will be sent to Peabody which runs the young person’s projects within the town. They have projects in Ripon Road, Marymead Drive and Hutton House and will place applicants according to their needs.

Outside office hours (evenings, weekends and public holidays)
Any person that will be roofless that evening should contact our Out of Hours service on 01438 314963.

Further advice and assistance can be sought from the following organisations:

HertsHelp

HertsHelp administers the Hertfordshire Welfare Assistance Scheme, providing help and advice to people in crisis and facing exceptional and unexpected pressures. If you qualify for assistance you may be given a travel voucher to help with fares, vouchers for food banks or clothing banks.

Herts Young Homeless

Herts Young Homeless (hyh) services are open to all 16 to 24-year-olds through the homeless hub.

YMCA

The YMCA hostel in Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City and Watford provides a home and support for local people who might otherwise be homeless. Each resident is allocated a key worker and, together they will create a support plan which is tailored to the needs and aspirations of the resident to support them to move into independent accommodation. Each resident has a bedroom and breakfast and evening meal is provided each day. Residents may have the opportunity to progress into self-catered accommodation within the hostel, provided they satisfy relevant criteria and subject to availability.

Referral to the YMCA can be made through the Housing Options or Rough Sleeper team

Cold Weather Provision & Severe Weather Emergency Protocol

Stevenage Borough Council operates a Severe Weather Emergency Protocol when the weather is severe enough to warrant the activation and the council will then run its own Cold Weather Provision temporarily on a night-by-night basis while severe weather persists.

Anyone experiencing rough sleeping when the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol is active should contact the council at the earliest opportunity to enquire about accessing the cold weather provision. This can be done by calling the customer service centre on 01462 242242, attending the customer service centre in person at Daneshill House, Stevenage SG1 1HN or if outside of business hours by calling the out of hours service on 01438 314963.

One YMCA Stevenage operates the Cold Weather Provision during the coldest months (usually between November and March) when the weather is at its worst. This will be available on a night-by-night and first-come, first-served basis and people can only be referred via the councils Rough Sleeper team. This service remains temporary in nature. Anyone taken in under the Cold Weather Provision will be given access to the facilities of the One YMCA but will not be able to remain at the site during the day.