My rough sleeping charity wants to bring an end to the current "crisis" in the North East

Ruth Parker, CEO of Emmaus North East, has said the current statistics show there is a lot of work to be done, not only in the North East, but across the nation, to address rough sleeping.

A Government snapshot study has shown rough sleeping in the UK has risen by a fifth in a year.

While London continues to have the highest number of rough sleepers, the problem is growing faster in the rest of England, the Ministry of Housing data shows.

In the North East, rough sleeping jumped 39% last year and was at the highest level since records began in 2010.

“I’m not surprised at the increase, but it is very very disappointing that this is the situation we are in” explained Parker.

She added: “I think the statistics are just the tip of the iceberg because, behind those rough sleepers who were counted on one night is all the people sofa surfing, all those people who may be in cafes or hostels that night. Those figures are not a true reflection of what we are facing both nationally and in the North East.”

The data was taken with a head count of people sleeping on the streets in just one night.

“I think it just demonstrates the issues we are facing with no social housing available, landlords have put rents up so anything that people may want to move into is not affordable” added the CEO.

“I think we are also suffering from the impact of the cost of living crisis, covid and unemployment as well as the serious situation in regards to housing.

“Sitting behind putting a roof over someone’s head which is obviously really important is tackling the trauma these people have faced and the complexity of the additional support they need like mental health support.”

Estimates believe 94% of people who are experiencing homelessness have experienced trauma.

“It’s about helping people transform their lives over the longer term and getting out of that cycle” adds Parker.

“For us as a charity we provide permanent homes for people and we were really lucky we got a grant from Newcastle Building Society this year to introduce our own trauma informed counselling.

“We want to extend what we are doing in other areas of the North East and we can only do that with the support of local authorities and additional grant funding.

“These poeple haven’t had a voice for many years” she adds.

“They aren’t in a position to influence change, so we need to keep banging the drum and say that there has to be local and national change to tackle what is a crisis in this country.”

Emmaus has a centre in South Shields and a shop and workshop in Jarrow.