There is no single reason why people end up sleeping rough. It can be for a variety and combination of reasons including relationship breakdown, difficulty accessing the private rented sector, mental ill-health, or drug and alcohol dependency.
Individuals rough sleeping are often experiencing multiple disadvantages and have multiple needs. Whilst the Council and our voluntary and community sector partners provide a range of services, offers of accommodation are not always welcomed. For someone to move away from the streets, they need to receive the right offer at the right time and sometimes they may choose to remain on the streets. As services and partners, we persist in trying to engage with them, but it can take time to build relationships and trust. People from surrounding boroughs are attracted into Reading to rough sleep for many reasons. We actively seek to reconnect them accommodation options within their borough or country of origin.
The Council does not want to see anyone sleeping rough, so we encourage individuals and members of the public to make contact with services for support, advice, reconnection and access to accommodation.