Rough sleeping continues to increase across the South West.
- Julian House
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
The ‘Rough Sleeper Snapshot’ figures suggest that there is a 11% increase of individuals who are sleeping rough across the South West.
The rough sleeper count is a government-commissioned process and will be used to offer a rough estimate of the number of people sleeping rough across England. The count was conducted by workers and volunteers from Julian House on a single night in November.
Spotlight figures:
This table contains the locations of where Julian House offers either outreach services, supported accomodation or wrap around support.
| 2024 | 2025 |
Basingstoke and Deane | 2 | 6 |
Bath and North East Somerset | 11 | 10 |
Bristol, City of | 77 | 70 |
Cheltenham | 7 | 8 |
Cotswold | 1 | 1 |
Dorset | 15 | 14 |
Exeter | 11 | 51 |
Forest of Dean | 2 | 6 |
Gloucester | 28 | 24 |
North Somerset | 15 | 11 |
Somerset | 80 | 103 |
South Gloucestershire | 5 | 4 |
Stroud | 2 | 4 |
Tewkesbury | 2 | 3 |
Wiltshire | 18 | 30 |
‘Our teams know that official figures don’t reflect the full number of those in need of support. Demand is growing, and cuts to vital services are pushing our team to the limit. With the rising cost of living and the housing crisis putting more people at risk of poverty, home insecurity or homelessness, the ongoing need for our services are higher than ever. There are many people who need help and support.’ Helen Bedser, Chief Executive Julian House
Because the results come from a single night, it is hard to use this to determine an exact number of individuals who are homeless as this figure doesn’t account for those who seek shelter in unsafe temporary accommodation or hidden from public view who are still in need of crucial support.
How we are responding to the rising number of rough sleepers:
Our Assertive Outreach Teams in these areas are on the streets every day, ensuring that no one is left behind. They provide essential support, helping clients to understand their options and guiding them towards stable accommodation, food, addiction treatment, and mental health support.
With limited resources, our teams face immense challenges in maintaining the life-changing support that restores independence, security, and hope.
With the continued support of our partners, volunteers, and community, we are committed to reaching those behind the statistics and making a lasting difference.
Between November 1, 2025, and January 31, 2026, our teams we provided 22,858 nights of safe accommodation, offering stability and security to people during some of the most challenging moments in their lives
Meet Chris: supporting rough sleepers in Dorset
Chris and his team are on the front line, working in both urban areas and across the county ensuring anyone who has been forced to sleep rough understands the options available to come in.
His team are out on the streets all year round, connecting with rough sleepers and homeless people or those leading street-based lives, offering them food and hot drinks and helping them to navigate their own route to security and independence.
