Rough sleeping
West Berkshire Council is committed to preventing and ending rough sleeping in the area.
The Preventing Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2020 to 2025 sets out our aims and objectives for tackling rough sleeping in the district.
Support is available to those who are sleeping rough or are at risk of sleeping rough. Individuals or support agencies should contact the Housing Options Team to discuss their situation.
Helping a rough sleeper
If you want to help a rough sleeper, please do not approach them directly. Instead, if you can, tell Streetlink about a rough sleeper or let our housing team know. This makes sure that there is no risk to you and that rough sleepers are not approached many times by different people asking them the same questions.
When telling us or Streetlink about the rough sleeper, please note any known or obvious details, including:
- their gender
- estimated age
- any obvious vulnerabilities they might have
- the location they were identified at or last seen in
- if possible, whether you think that they are new to the street or a long-term rough sleeper
If you think the person you are concerned about is under 18, please instead call the police.