Nearly 200 facing homelessness placed in accommodation

Nearly 200 people who were rough sleeping or facing homelessness across Gwent have been found accommodation since the coronavirus outbreak, including more than 70 in Newport.

At least 184 vulnerable people across the region have been placed in emergency accommodation to protect them from the disease, according to figures from the five Gwent councils.

The number of people sleeping rough in Newport is now in single figures after it was in the high thirties, thanks to a joined-up effort involving Newport City Council, housing organisations The Wallich, Pobl, Eden Gate and the Salvation Army and Gwent Police.

Homeless support charities say there is now a “great opportunity to end rough sleeping in Newport.”

A spokeswoman for Newport council said all known rough sleepers were taken off the streets “as soon as possible after the start of the outbreak”, and “extreme efforts” are being made to find more accommodation to meet the high demand.

“Newport City Council’s housing team has been working tirelessly to find temporary accommodation for those who were sleeping rough and those presenting as homeless,” the spokeswoman said.

“Often these are people living chaotic lives so this has been a complex operation but since the lockdown began accommodation, and packages of support, has been provided for more than 70 people to date but this figure is increasing daily.”

Temporary accommodation in bed and breakfast and hotel rooms in the city has been secured, with housing organisations working to provide three meals a day.

Councils in Wales have been given a share of £10 million by the Welsh Government to provide emergency accommodation for anyone sleeping on the streets in an effort to reduce the risk of any of them catching or spreading coronavirus.

Elsewhere in Gwent, Monmouthshire council has secured accommodation for 56 people, including seven rough sleepers.

The majority of these were ‘sofa surfing’ or living in non-secure arrangements.

Blaenau Gwent council has placed 21 rough sleepers into temporary accommodation.

The council said there are currently no rough sleepers waiting to be placed in accommodation.

Caerphilly council has offered emergency accommodation to 27 people who were either rough sleeping or in a “precarious housing situation.”

Nine rough sleepers in Torfaen have been homed, but seven people are still known to be on the streets.

Torfaen council said these people have not engaged with services as a result of their “complex needs”, which has made finding accommodation “very difficult.”