Life on the streets as 52 sleep rough

It comes as the number of homeless people in England rises by 14 per cent.

The latest figure of 52 includes rough sleepers in the Black Country, Staffordshire and Birmingham is up by one, from 51 the year before.

Statistics for autumn last year are intended to give a 'snapshot' of how many rough sleepers would be found on any one night.

The study by the Department for Communities and Local Government found that 2,744 people slept rough in England in autumn 2014, an increase of 14 per cent from 2,414 in 2013.

The number of people sleeping rough across the country has increased year-on-year over the last five years and by 55 per cent since 2010.

And groups of rough sleepers can be seen congregating throughout towns and cities as darkness falls.

The area around the New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham city centre is a popular spot, while some seek shelter in subways across Wolverhampton.

High streets in Dudley and Bearwood are also being used, with homeless people squeezing into shop doorways or under canopies.

Wolverhampton: 7

Dudley: 6

Walsall: 5

Cannock: 5

Wyre Forest: 5

Sandwell: 2

Stafford: 2

Birmingham: 20

There are seven people sleeping rough in Wolverhampton on any given night, compared to six in 2013. There were six in Dudley -the same as the previous year - five in Walsall, which is three fewer than 2013, five in Cannock - an increase of three on the year before, five in Wyre Forest, which is down from eight, two in Sandwell, which is down from three, and two in Stafford, a drop from four in 2013.

In Birmingham there are 20 - up from 14 the year before.

However in December, homelessness charity P3 said the number of people forced to sleep on the streets long-term in Wolverhampton had fallen from 12 to two in 2014.

Long-term homeless is measured differently to the Government's 'snapshot' figure the charity said that in this respect the situation in the city is improving.

West Midlands operations manager Sam Bailey said there was plenty of help available for rough sleepers - if they know where to seek it.

• Last night Express & Star reporter slept rough on the streets of Wolverhampton to raise money for charity. See her blog from her cardbox box bed here.

She said: "The city council has really passionate staff. It would not work if we did not work in partnership. The city centre wardens from the Wolverhampton Partnership Group are fantastic as well."

P3 and the YMCA are the main points of contact for anyone with nowhere to sleep, and bosses say no-one should feel a night on the streets is the only option.

They help find accommodation for vulnerable and homeless people, as well as providing advice on issues like budgeting, employment and benefits. P3 has a 'navigator service' based in Broad Street, Wolverhampton, which can tell people where to go next.

Charity St Mungo's Broadway, which helps 2,500 homeless people across England, including the West Midlands, says there needs to be greater support for people who end up on the streets.

Chief executive Howard Sinclair said: "We are extremely concerned that yet again we are seeing a rise in the levels of rough sleeping. This is a problem that we cannot ignore and needs to be a top priority for the next Government.

"As well as tackling the housing crisis overall, there is an urgent need to improve the help people receive from councils when looking for help with their homelessness.

"However, it's important that we look below the surface of these snapshot figures.We know that the annual street counts can often be an estimate and fluctuate throughout the year, and with more workers out on the streets, more people are being found."

London was found to have 742 people sleeping rough on any one night, accounting for around a quarter of the national figure. This was an increase of 37 per cent on 2013, compared with a rise of seven per cent in the rest of England.

Wolverhampton North East MP and shadow housing minister Emma Reynolds said many people were struggling to hold on to their homes.

She said:" Rising housing costs and low pay have made it more and more difficult for people to keep a roof over their head."

"The Tory-led Government has presided over the lowest levels of housebuilding in peacetime since the 1920s, a drop in the number of affordable homes being built and policies like the Bedroom Tax have made things even worse."

The charity Crisis says the root causes include cuts to benefits, housing shortages and a lack of help available for homeless people.

Chief executive Jon Sparkes said: "These figures show that the law is badly failing people facing homelessness. Welfare reform, benefit cuts and a chronic shortage of affordable homes mean more and more people are coming to their council as homeless.

Meanwhile dozens of volunteers were braving the cold last night to sleep in carboard boxes in Wolverhampton to raise cash for the YMCA.

They slept outside the University of Wolverhampton between 7pm and 7am.

Previous participants have included Black Country MP Tom Watson, and fundraiser Blind Dave Heeley, and this year Wolves defender Danny Batth was getting involved.