PEOPLE sleeping rough in York can safely bed down this winter, as more emergency beds are offered alongside tailored support.

City of York Council's emergency winter bed scheme aims to go above and beyond the national guidelines. This year, up to 31 emergency beds can be made available in the winter months - regardless of whether it’s freezing or not – and will remain available while temperatures remain consistently low.

People found sleeping rough by council street navigators are regularly offered accommodation suitable for their support needs and tailored support.

Recognising how important pets can be to people’s wellbeing, the council have been allowing well-controlled dogs into York’s emergency accommodation since 2000.

Councillor Denise Craghill, executive member for housing and safer communities, said: “The number of beds this year far exceeds the number of people who regularly sleep rough in the city, so there is a bed inside available for all rough sleepers. This extra wintertime provision recognises the current cost of living pressures, that poor mental health is increasing and that many people who sleep out move from city to city.

“These complex circumstances require personalised and holistic specialist support. Our street navigators know where to find people sleeping rough, how to get to know them and their situation - and how to help people into accommodation and support tailored to their needs.”

The support for rough sleepers aims to help address each individual’s particular issues which contributed to them sleeping outdoors. This could include services to address mental health or substance misuse, and training for work and how to manage a lasting tenancy.

Once the appropriate support is successfully underway, people are offered longer-term accommodation with the level of the support that’s right for them. If this is well managed, the teams will then support them into more independent living.

The council’s successful street navigators will be supported by some of the £1,327,555 funding secured by the Council from the Department of Housing and Levelling Up’s Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI).

To let City of York Council know where you have seen someone sleeping rough, please ring Street Link on 0300 500 0914 and give them the location.

A spokesperson for the council said: "Please join us encouraging people sleeping rough to go to the early intervention and prevention hub at 63 Lawrence Street, York YO10 3BU between 10am and 12 noon when they’ll be offered accommodation and tailored support."

At night or the weekend, people sleeping rough can call 01609 780780 for help.

Further information on supporting rough sleepers can be found on the City of York Council website.