Rough sleepers

Hastings Borough Council and other agencies work closely to understand and meet the needs of rough sleepers in Hastings.

What to do if you are concerned about someone rough sleeping

If you see someone rough sleeping and have concerns about them, you can contact the national Streetlink Service. It is a service that exists to help end rough sleeping:

• via Streetlink service
• or download the app on your smartphone.

It will automatically trigger an alert to outreach services to:

• check on the welfare of the person rough sleeping
• to offer them support and advice.

In case of an emergency

If someone is unwell or distressed please call 999.

Don't put yourself in danger or approach someone acting strangely, even to help that person.

Rough Sleepers Outreach Service

This service is funded by the council and the Seaview Project. It is delivered by the Seaview Project. It carries out proactive outreach work twice a week, generally between 4am and 7am:

• it identifies people who are rough sleeping
• helps them to connect with local services and support
• supports reconnection with home authorities where appropriate.

Hastings Borough Council services for rough sleepers

If you are rough sleeping you can make an appointment with our specialist Rough Sleeper Housing Options Officer at Hastings Borough Council.

• telephone 01424 451100 Monday to Friday between 10am and 4pm
• visit the Community Contact Centre, Queens Square, Hastings, TN34 1TL

Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP)

The Council continues to deliver a Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) in accordance with national guidance from Homeless Link. This protocol has two key aims:

• to ensure that no one dies on the streets due to extreme weather
• to ensure that every effort is made to engage with individuals during the extreme weather period so that they can access appropriate services.

There is no single definition of severe weather - any conditions that increase the risk of harm to people sleeping rough can be classed as severe. This includes extreme cold, wind, snow, rain and heat.

SWEP will be activated in Hastings during severe weather conditions and will be published on our website and social media sites. Other local services will also be aware when SWEP is activated.

To access SWEP:

• call our Housing Options Team on 01424 451100 during normal office hours
• or outside of office hours call 01424 451999.

Rough Sleeping Initiative

Hastings and Eastbourne Borough Councils received funding from 1st October 2018 from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to work with partners to:

• improve the accessibility of services to the most entrenched rough sleeper
• access to support services
• access to temporary accommodation
• access to long-term housing solutions.

The focus of the Rough Sleepers Initiative (RSI) is to work with 32 of the most complex cases across the 2 boroughs. Rough sleepers will be assessed with those who have the most complex multiple needs being prioritised for the programme.

The RSI is a large project and includes:

• an Assessment Unit in St Leonards
• support staff based at day centres in both towns (Salvation Army, Eastbourne and Seaview Project, St Leonards).

The project will have 20 individual flats across both areas where ongoing housing and tenancy support will be provided by dedicated workers.

The RSI has a dedicated team of multi-disciplinary specialists (MDT). They work across all aspects of the project. They support clients throughout their accommodation pathway. The MDT includes:

• a psychiatric nurse
• 2 x medical nurses
• a social worker
• a housing specialist
• substance misuse specialist.

Referrals from the project can be made through the council's housing options team. To access RSI for the Hastings area, please go to our I'm at risk of being or already am homeless webpage.

Hastings rough sleepers meeting

This monthly meeting is run by the Rough Sleeping Initiative. A range of support services work together to ensure:

• the needs of rough sleepers are addressed
• the risk of harm is minimised
• that customer Action plans are discussed
• progress monitored between agencies.
  

Other local services for rough sleepers

There are local services available for people who are rough sleeping or sofa surfing.

You can find details about many services on the Street Sheet.

Seaview Project - is an open access wellbeing daycentre offering:

• hot meals for £1 from Monday to Friday at 1pm
• breakfast available on Thursday mornings
• showers and clothes washing facilities available on site
• advice on housing and benefits
• accessing other services
• daily activities are available
• use of a gym.

Open:

• Monday 10am to 4pm
• Tuesday 10am to 4pm
• Wednesday 10am to 2pm
• Thursday 8.30am to 2.30pm
• Friday 10am to 4pm

Seaview Project, Hatherley Road, St Leonards, TN37 6LB.
Telephone: 01424 717981

Housing and wellbeing hub on Thursday mornings at Seaview Project

Open access service with different agencies present every Thursday morning including:

• housing adviser
• St John Ambulance
• substance misuse support and guidance
• street triage mental health team.

Breakfast and lunch available for £1, as well as showers and clothes washing facilities.

Since the pandemic, winter night shelters have not been able to open in their traditional form due to the increased risk of spreading COVID-19.

The Snowflake team are continuing to support homelessness services, delivering hot meals and providing befriending services to former rough sleepers and homeless people living in temporary accommodation. This has been an important way of reducing social isolation and helping people take the next steps with their recovery.

Hope Kitchen is a soup kitchen. It also provides support and advice to homeless people over 18 to those in need of a safe, welcoming environment in Hastings.

Open:

• Thursday and Saturday 7.30pm to 9pm.

Wellington Square Baptist Church, Wellington Square, Hastings, TN34 1PN.

Salvation Army provides general support, advice and refreshments.

Open:

• Tuesday and Thursday 10am to 12 noon.

St Andrews Square, Hastings, TN34 1SR
Telephone: 01424 426894

St John Ambulance Homeless Service Hastings offering wound care, health advice, foot care and help to access GPs etc. Telephone: 01424 435358

Open at:

Seaview Project

• Mondays, 12pm to 2pm - nurse consultations and specialist foot care
• Tuesdays, 12pm to 2pm - nurse consultations
• Thursdays, 10am to 1pm - nurse consultations and specialist foot care
• Fridays, 12pm to 2pm - nurse consultations
  Seaview Project, Hatherley Road, St Leonards, TN37 6LB

Hope Kitchen

• Saturday 7.30pm to 9pm - nurse consultations
  Wellington Square Church, Wellington Square, Hastings, TN34 1PN

Other available facilities and services

BHT Housing Advice Service provides housing advice for rough sleepers or those at risk of rough sleeping.

Open:

• Monday to Friday 9am to 4.30pm

Advice and Community Hub, Renaissance House, London Road, St Leonards, TN37 6AN.
Telephone: 01424 452610

STAR is a drug and alcohol recovery service which supports people aged 18 upwards to:

• make lifestyle and behavioural changes
• improve health and wellbeing
• increase independence and self-determination.

Open:

• Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm

To make an appointment call 0300 3038 160.
Or just drop in to: Thrift House, 13 Wellington Place, Hastings, TN34 1AY
Email Eastsussex.star@cgl.org.uk

Station Plaza Health Centre Walk in Health Centre, GP surgeries and sexual health clinic.

Open:

• 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week

Station Approach, Hastings, TN34 1BA
Telephone: 01424 884410

Emmaus Hastings Rother offering accommodation within the Emmaus community and active involvement in the community's business of collecting, restoring and reselling donated items.
Whitworth Road, St Leonards-on-sea, TN37 7PZ.

Home Works (Hastings and Rother) provides a generic floating support service that can support rough sleepers or those at risk of rough sleeping.

Referrals must be made through the local authority.

Contact your Housing Officer to discuss further.  If you don't have one you can complete our online Housing Options Assessment form and make an appointment to see a Housing Officer.

STEPS provides housing and advice for over 60s.
Telephone 0300 123 2422, or email referrals@stepseast.co.uk

Xtrax Youth Hub provides support services for 16-24 year olds on housing, health and socialising.
Visit the Hub at: Xtrax, 23 Priory Street, Hastings, TN34 1EA.
Telephone: 01424 722524

Links Project provides support for asylum seekers and refugees.

Open:

• Wednesdays 10.30am to 4pm - drop in service

Concordia Hall, St Leonards, TN37 6HB
Any other times call 01424 444010

Volunteering Opportunities

Seaview Project can provide further information on local volunteering opportunities supporting people who are rough sleeping.

Open:

• Monday 10am to 4pm
• Tuesday 10am to 4pm
• Wednesday 10am to 2pm
• Thursday 8.30am to 2.30pm
• Friday 10am to 4pm

Hatherley Road, St Leonards, TN37 6LB
Telephone: 01424 717981