Rough sleeping in Stoke-on-Trent has hit record levels, according to official figures.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council estimated there were 35 homeless people living on the streets of the Potteries in November, the highest number since records began in 2010, and an increase of 10 on the previous November.

Local authorities in England are required to count or estimate the number of rough sleepers in their areas every autumn in order to produce a national 'snapshot' of the problem.

Stoke-on-Trent's previous highest rough sleeper count was the 34 recorded in 2018 – the estimate stood at just two in 2010.

The latest increase in street homelessness in Stoke-on-Trent reflects a national trend, with the number of rough sleepers in England surging from 3,898 to 4,667 in 2024.

A previous government pledge to end rough sleeping in England by 2027 seems unlikely to be fulfilled.

The city council says that services for homeless people in Stoke-on-Trent were bolstered over the winter, and further work is being carried out.

Cllr Chris Robinson, cabinet member for housing and planning, said: "It's sad to see that the number of people sleeping rough in the city over the last 12 months has increased.

"The increase reflects the national trend and is a symptom of wider pressures related to the cost of living crisis and a lack of affordable housing.

"The council is determined to address homelessness in the city and, since the count was carried out in November 2024, we have taken a number of steps to reduce the number of people sleeping rough in Stoke-on-Trent.

"We have done this by increasing the number of emergency beds available and increasing the capacity of our Rough Sleeper Outreach Team.

"We recognise that there is still much more we need to do and we will continue to work tirelessly together with our trusted partners to prevent people ending up on the streets in the first place.

"We are committed to supporting individuals who do find themselves homeless by increasing the amount of specialist accommodation available in the city and ensuring the right type of support is in place to help people move into and sustain suitable housing."

Cllr Robinson added that the council's forthcoming local plan would support the building of more affordable housing in the city.

Stoke-on-Trent's rough sleeper count is an estimate based on discussions with partner organisations, along with a 'spotlight' count in specific areas – some councils use different methods.

According to the latest count, 28 of the rough sleepers in Stoke-on-Trent were male, while seven were female. Thirty-three were British, and two were non-EU foreign nationals.

Danny Flynn, chief executive at YMCA North Staffordshire, says that rough sleeping has been a growing problem in Stoke-on-Trent and across the country due to cuts to vital services and a lack of affordable housing.

He said: "Rough sleeping is just the extreme end of homelessness. I've been working in this area for 40 years now and I can say that things now are worse than they've ever been.

"A lot of it is down to the austerity cuts under the last government, like the £1.6 billion cut to the Supporting People scheme. In around 2008, it seemed like the issue was sorted, you didn't see a lot of people on the street. Things were being dealt with. But that's changed now.

"In this country we've got a huge housing crisis. Even in a place like Stoke-on-Trent where housing is more affordable, you're looking at over £100,000 for a terraced house.

"The current government is talking about building more homes, but until those homes are available, this problem will only get worse."

The rough sleeper counts in other parts of Staffordshire are generally much lower:

Cannock Chase, 4, East Staffordshire, 1, Lichfield, 4, Newcastle-under-Lyme, 7, South Staffordshire, 1, Stafford, 13, Staffordshire Moorlands, 0 and Tamworth, 1,

Anyone concerned about someone sleeping rough in Stoke-on-Trent should contact the Rough Sleeper Outreach Service on 0800 970 2304 or via www.streetlink.org.uk

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