What's in place for people who are homeless this winter?

Published: 4 December 2023

There is a range of support available all year round for those homeless or about to become homeless. As the cold weather arrives, we all become more aware of those who may need help.

Whilst the most visible form of homelessness is street homelessness and perhaps the first image that many of us would consider, most homeless ‘approaches’ to the council are less visible. These can include households where family or friends are no longer able to accommodate someone, the end of a private rented tenancy, because of domestic abuse, unemployment or illness.

Derby Homes is responsible for coordinating the city’s response to homelessness and for delivering the Council’s statutory homelessness services. Our priorities are to prevent households from becoming homeless in the first place and to relieve it for those who are already homeless or sleeping rough.

Residents and visitors to the city also have access to an Alternative Giving Scheme which gives people the chance to make a real difference to those who experience homelessness.

Emergency provision, all year round

We are fortunate to have access to enough emergency accommodation in Derby and surrounding areas, which means no-one has to spend a night on the streets. 

Throughout the year, there are a wide range of services available to support people who are homeless and people sleeping rough, including the Housing Options service at the Council House, the city’s street outreach teams, hostel networks, the Safe Space initiative, Multi Agency Rough Sleepers Hub, and supported housing providers networks. 

There is a plan to address rough sleeping during periods of extreme hot or cold weather, called the Severe Weather Emergency Provision. It puts additional measures on top of usual arrangements during excessively hot or cold weather. Every effort is made to engage with people to ensure they are safe and warm, that they do not have to sleep on the streets and they can access the accommodation and support services they need. 

Services offered all year

• Emergency accommodation (varies depending on support need)
• Multiple, daily outreach sessions
• Partnership outreach with East Midlands Ambulance Service
• Hot and cold drinks
• Access to additional, multi-agency support

Additional provisions during periods of excessive cold

• Warm hats and gloves
• Access to hot food vouchers

Rehousing Engagement and Support Team (REST)

The REST team is the city’s outreach service. They carry out daily visits to engage with anyone who is seen sleeping out. They monitor, work with, signpost, and give support to those they encounter to ensure they can access shelter, warmth, food and begin to take steps towards rehousing. In addition to outreach services, the team also provide support to those in insecure emergency placements, such as bed and breakfasts and shared housing, to prevent a return to street homelessness.

The Housing Options service at the Council House

There is emergency advice and assistance available both by telephone and in person at the Council House, for those who do not have access to a telephone. The service is available to anyone who is homeless, at risk of sleeping rough, or professionals supporting people.

Safe Space

Safe Space gives people entrenched in sleeping rough a place to get help and support during the day, and a temporary bed space overnight. It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Those who are street homeless can visit Safe Space for hot drinks, gloves, and hats when the temperatures are low.

Derby is proud to have a dedicated, award-winning homelessness paramedic as part of the Safe Space initiative, who provides emergency health care to some of the most vulnerable people in the city. The East Midland Ambulance Service homelessness paramedic operates from Safe Space and conducts outreach throughout Derby city. They give health advice and interventions for people who are street homeless.

The service provided by Derby City Mission, contracted by the Office of the Police Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Derbyshire. It is funded by Derby Homes, the OPCC, Derbyshire Constabulary and Rough Sleeper Initiative Grant funding provided by Department of Levelling Up Homes and Communities.

Milestone House

Milestone House provides emergency accommodation for single adults and couples without children. Referrals for rooms at Milestone House are coordinated by the Housing Options service. The hostel is managed by Derby Homes and has 38 rooms for Derby’s homeless and street homeless.

Christmas break service arrangements

During the Christmas break, we will be running a limited emergency service. People can get emergency help and advice by calling Derby Homes or visiting the Derby City Council webpage.

We’ll be running an in-person emergency service from the Council House on 27 – 29 December. People can visit the Council House on these days between 9am and 5pm if they do not have access to a telephone. We return to full service as normal on Tuesday 2 January 2023. 

Our outreach team (REST) will also be delivering outreach services in Derby on 27 – 29 December, providing support to anyone found to be street homeless and arranging access to emergency accommodation where applicable.

How you can help someone if you’re concerned

If you see someone you think may be sleeping rough or know someone at immediate risk of becoming homeless, encourage them to call Derby Homes. If they do not have access to a phone, they can go to the Council house between 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday.

If you are unable to find somewhere, or are worried about someone, you can call Street Link on 0300 500 0914. Street Link is a national service that enables members of the public to connect people sleeping rough with the local services that can support them.

Want to help make a difference?

Alternative Giving gives people chance to make a real difference. By donating to the scheme, you will be supporting local projects working to provide practical support for people with experience of homelessness and to prevent street homelessness in Derby. 

Donating through the Alternative Giving scheme means you can be confident that your money is directly helping at a practical level by providing necessary essentials and support. Donating to your chosen project will not only support the work they do, but means you are helping more than one person.

Rough sleeping snapshot numbers in Derby

The last official rough sleeping snapshot in Derby, from November 2022, identified 12 street homeless individuals, an increase of one from 2021. We expect this figure to be higher again in 2023, but still significantly lower compared to the most recent peak of 37 in 2017.

The official definition of people sleeping rough comes from guidelines from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities. All local authorities assess rough sleeping on one night between October and November; these figures, made up from street counts and evidence-based estimates, are submitted annually to the government.

Counts are coordinated with other local authorities so that people will not be counted twice (for instance, if someone sleeps in Derby one night and Nottingham the next). Teams are out on the street most days and so know most of Derby’s rough sleepers and where they typically bed down. On the night of the count, the team cover the whole of Derby. 

The official figures for the 2023 rough sleeper estimate will be announced by the Government in early 2024.

Housing, Public safety