Consistent Year-on-Year Rough Sleeping Numbers in Reading

Year-on-year comparisons show the number of people sleeping rough in Reading remains consistent.

The latest rough sleeping snapshot figure count - which took place overnight on Wednesday 12 November into the morning of Thursday 13 November 2025 – showed 43 individuals sleeping rough in Reading. All but one person was known to the Council’s support teams. This compares to an underlying figure of 42 last year (* see notes to editor for detail)

National figures released this week show a 3% rise in the number of people sleeping rough across the country since 2024. This is an estimated 4,793 people on a single night in autumn 2025 and is the fourth national annual increase in a row.

Reading’s rough sleeping count coincides with the national count carried out by all local authorities in England every autumn which is designed to provide a representative ‘typical night’ snapshot figure of how many people are sleeping rough across the country.

Reading’s 2025 snapshot figure is a focused count carried out after midnight in known rough sleeping hotspots. The number of people included in the figure was informed by this count and other local evidence from outreach teams, before it was independently verified as being in line with national guidance.

Many of the people found bedding down in Reading have complex needs which can make it hard for them to engage with council support straight away. This can be the result of past trauma, mental health challenges or a preference for staying independent. Reading Council and its partners remain focused on building trust and ensuring people sleeping rough are aware of safe alternatives.

Reading Council continues to work year-round with commissioned partners and voluntary, faith and community sector organisations such as Launchpad Reading, The Salvation Army, St Mungo’s, YMCA Reading and FAITH Christian Group to provide outreach support, emergency accommodation, specialist services and more than 270 supported accommodation spaces across the borough. This includes expanded long-term housing options for people with multiple needs, winter provision such as the Bed for the Night shelter, and targeted work to prevent new rough sleeping. The Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP), which becomes active during extreme weather, offers accommodation for any individual whether or not they have a local connection or recourse to public funds.

Matt Yeo, Lead Councillor for Housing at Reading Borough Council, said:

“This latest snapshot figure provides an accurate indication of people bedding down on Reading’s streets at night and shows a largely consistent picture. It is also encouraging to note that, aside from one person, every single individual was already known to the Council’s support teams which gives a good indication of their proactive and persistent efforts to try and build trust with people and offer support where that is possible.

“The Council does not want to see anyone sleeping rough and, in terms of support and accommodation offered, Reading goes far beyond what many other areas offer.

“It can be difficult to understand why anyone would still be sleeping rough when accommodation is available, including 270 beds in Reading and additional provision during extreme weather. This overlooks the complex realities faced by people sleeping rough. Mental health challenges, trauma and other support needs can affect people’s ability to accept help at that moment, even when accommodation and support are on offer.

“Like everyone else, the Council and its partners are deeply saddened by the deaths we have seen in the town in recent months. While rough sleeping figures are up nationally, the consistency of numbers in Reading doesn’t mean the issues are solved – far from it. Many of the people we support have complex and multiple needs and it is important to recognise that preventing cycles of homelessness go beyond just offers of beds for the night, but require intensive, coordinated work across many services and partner agencies.

“Our strengthened partnerships, expanded housing options for people with multiple needs, targeted immigration work and investment in off-the-streets and supported accommodation are all helping us to stabilise the figures locally. But we will continue to push forward – particularly through our new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy which is due to be debated in March – to ensure we minimise the number of people sleeping on the streets of Reading and, through building trust, provide them with the essential support they require to make a permanent change.”

Reading Council’s new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy will be debated at a meeting of the Housing Neighbourhood and Leisure Committee on Tuesday 10 March. The strategy will be published later this week at this link ahead of the meeting:  https://democracy.reading.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=140&MId=5775.

Residents wanting to support people experiencing rough sleeping and homelessness are encouraged to donate via Tap for Reading, with contactless donation points available across the town centre. Funds are distributed between local homelessness charities to provide direct, practical assistance. The locations for all donation points, more information on how the money is spent and how to donate online if you can’t make it to a tap point, can be found at www.reading.gov.uk/tapforreading.

For more information on homelessness support in Reading, visit: https://www.reading.gov.uk/housing/homelessness.