84% of individuals begging in Walsall are not homeless
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Walsall Council is committed to addressing homelessness and rough sleeping, by providing stable accommodation, support, and other essential services.
Each year the council invests over £1,875,891 into supporting rough sleepers and preventing individuals from becoming homelessness. In the past year, the council's outreach team has accommodated 46 rough sleepers and the council, and its partners, continue to provide tenancy sustainment support to over 100 others in their own long-term accommodation.
“ Social security, affordable housing and employment opportunities all have an important role to play in mitigating homelessness, and our dedicated outreach team provides daily support, identifying and assisting those sleeping rough or experiencing homelessness.
“This team also works closely with partner organisations across Walsall to help prevent and relieve homelessness. Alongside this, local police and community safety teams work together with partners to help identify anyone street begging in Walsall.
“We are not seeking to criminalise homelessness or street begging, but we do want to eliminate exploitation and nuisance. We recognise that some individuals may engage in street begging to help meet immediate needs, even though they may already be in accommodation. Investigations have revealed that 84% of those seen regularly begging on Walsall streets in recent months do in fact have accommodation and are not homeless. All the remaining individuals have been referred to the council’s rough sleeping outreach team who have provided offers of temporary accommodation to prevent them from needing to sleep rough in the winter months.
“Rather than giving to anyone street begging, we recommend alternative ways of giving so the public can be confident their kind donations help assist people in genuine need and do not exacerbate challenges and risks associated with crime, drug and alcohol addiction.
“By giving money directly to someone begging on the streets, this can contribute to existing struggles, potentially impacting their health and increasing their need for support. We know that the public want to support, which is why we have developed an initiative to help encourage people to give in a different way, so they can be sure they are assisting those facing genuine challenges.
“One of my ambitions is to prioritise people and place, and it is through our collective efforts that we can work towards effective approaches to prevent homelessness in our community.
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Anyone experiencing homelessness or rough sleeping can be referred to the council’s Homelessness Team. Accommodation is offered daily to those who are street homeless through the outreach team as well as access and assistance for further services. To find out more visit the council website at: https://go.walsall.gov.uk/housing/homelessness
To alert the team to a rough sleeper, visit Streetlink at: https://thestreetlink.org.uk
You can also donate to Change Into Action (https://changeintoaction.org.uk/walsall/), an alternative giving scheme supporting specialist charities and street teams working to change the circumstances of rough sleepers. Donations directly benefit individuals sleeping rough, as well as former rough sleepers, or those at risk of homelessness in Walsall.
Further advice on homelessness and rough sleeping is available on the Street Support website at https://streetsupport.net/walsall/.
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