Are you aware or concerned for someone rough sleeping in Thanet?
Please report it using the Streetlink website. Please remember to give us as much information as possible.
Rough sleeping
Information and support for people who are rough sleeping or homeless
People who have nowhere else to go, who are sleeping on the streets or in a tent are considered to be rough sleeping, which is an extreme form of homelessness. If you are concerned about someone who is rough sleeping you can:
If someone is at risk of becoming homeless please see our homeless or at risk of losing your home page.
Helping someone who is rough sleeping can often be more complex and mean more than just finding physical accommodation. There may be a number of underlying reasons that have led to someone not having somewhere to live and a person may be in need of additional support from a number of different services.
Thanet RISE project
The council has been successful in applying for funding to establish a new multi-agency team to work with those who are rough sleeping and most in need of support.
RISE stands for Rough sleeper Intervention, Support and Empowerment
The Thanet RISE project is a multi-agency partnership between Thanet District Council, Forward Trust Drug and Alcohol Service, Serveco, Invicta Health Care, Department for Work and Pensions, Paramount Independent Properties and Porchlight working together to support rough sleepers in Thanet.
The overarching focus of this award winning project is to address any underlying barriers to finding and maintaining accommodation. The team includes staff from the councils homeless and landlord liaison services working jointly with in reach and outreach support workers, Substance Misuse specialists, Mental Health expert as well as other commissioned specialist services to reduce rough sleeping and homelessness.
PermalinkThe team carries out early morning and late night outreach to identify and verify people who are actively rough sleeping and work with them to develop a support plan to tackle any underlying barriers to accomodation.
This can range from providing food and clothing, helping someone to complete applications, obtaining identification, supporting emotional and mental wellbeing, physical health, practical skills, budgeting, support with any substance misuse.
The team undertake street triage and complete detailed needs assessments putting the person at the centre of their reconnection and work as intensively as is needed and also deliver in reach support when someone moves into accommodation.
We can only work with people if they are willing to work with us, but recognise that for some people this can be small steps. The RISE team holds no enforcement powers and will work with clients at their own pace.
PermalinkTo contact us call 01843 577277 – or 01843 577000 in an emergency out of hours.
Drop in and see us:
Tuesday’s 2.30-4.30pm GAP Baptist Church, Broadstairs
Thursday’s 7.00-9.00am Ramsgate Salvation Army, High Street, Ramsgate
Alternatively you can email us at Roughsleeping@thanet.gov.uk
PermalinkWe recognise that some clients need more support than others.
We work with a person-centred approach in mind and tailor the support given by the team to the individual, in order to set the client up for success.
The support our clients receive enables us to offer landlords who work with us peace of mind.
We do this by:
- Offering landlords to meet clients before accepting them.
- Carrying out risk assessments before clients are placed.
- Assessing client affordability from the offset to ensure they are able to afford their accommodation.
- Arranging regular house meetings/check ins when required.
- Employing a dedicated Landlord Liaison Officer within the RISE Team, who Landlord’s can have direct contact with.
About RISE
Thanet RISE Project is a multi-agency team created by Thanet District Council and includes the following agencies; Thanet District Council, Serveco Homeless Support service, Invicta Health CIC, Forward Trust, Paramount Independent Properties, Department of Work & Pensions and The Salvation Army, working together to support rough sleepers in Thanet.
The wrap-around support provided encourages clients to live more fulfilling lives, helping them to sustain accommodation.
What do RISE do?
If a rough sleeper is deemed as non-priority by Thanet District Council, they will be referred to RISE for support.
Once a client is referred the team will look to verify them as rough sleeping. Once verified, they will be invited to attend a multi-agency needs assessment where a team member from each service within RISE
attends, a care plan is created for the client and they are assigned a key worker.
The key worker will empower and support the client with appointments, tasks, property searches and complete onward referrals. The client will meet with our Landlord Liaison Officer to assess their affordability. Once they are tenancy-ready, and a property is identified, they are then supported to move in by the RISE team. The key worker will continue working with the client once housed.
Inreach support is given to clients when they move into substantive accommodation. This includes:
- Helping to furnish properties through available donations.
- Liaising with the DWP to set up an alternative payment arrangement to safeguard the rent payment being paid direct to the Landlord.
- Setting up standing orders for any top ups of rent.
- Setting utility bills up in the client’s name, including direct debits where possible.
- Closely monitoring rent top ups.
- Regular welfare checks from their key worker and out of hours staff.
Once a client is closed to RISE, they can be reopened at any time. This can be done by client direct or a phone call from the Landlord to our Landlord Liaison Officer.
PermalinkSupport for people who are rough sleeping or homeless
There are regular drop in services available to rough sleepers across Thanet. More details can be found below or by downloading our calendar here.
Information can also be found on our winter shelter and Severe Weather Emergency Protocol.
The Gap Project located in Queen Road Baptist Church, Broadstairs works in partnership within the local community – meeting their needs by providing activities and support for individuals and families. For more information call: 01843 602762 or email: team@thegapproject.co.uk
Open times: Tuesday and Fridays 2.30pm – 4.30pm.
Access to:
- Hot meal
- Shower facilities with towels, flannels & toiletries
- Laundry facilities available
- Turning point drop in on Tuesdays
Telephone number : 01843 602762
PermalinkDuring periods of extreme weather, the Council operates a Severe Weather Emergency protocol (SWEP). Extreme weather can include any conditions that increase the risk of harm to people who are rough sleeping. This is often, but not exclusively, periods of cold weather or significant rainfall. When deciding whether to trigger the protocol, the Local Authority must take into consideration local context and weather forecasts.
When the protocol is triggered, the Council will promote this on its website and via social media channels that it will provide emergency accommodation for any person sleeping rough in the district so that it can prevent unnecessary deaths due to extreme weather.
For more information regarding SWEP please visit www.homeless.org.uk
PermalinkHow you can help or get involved
There are lots of ways you can help people and get involved by donating or volunteering your time.
- Make a financial donation – If you wish to donate financially to people who are rough sleeping then we would advocate making payment to a registered charity rather than giving out cash in person.
- Donate unwanted items – Take any unwanted items to homeless charity shops
- Volunteer your time – please email roughsleeping@thanet.gov.uk
Related news
6 October, 2022
Thanet District Council has been awarded £3,808,270 of funding by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, through the Rough Sleeping Initiative.
5 November, 2019
The Thanet RISE team, based at Thanet District Council, has won the ‘Team of the Year’ prize at the Kent Housing Group Excellence Awards – just one year after it was formed.
10 October, 2019
Support the Thanet Winter Shelter Celebrating one year of RISE Thanet’s award winning Winter Shelter, a safe place for homeless people to take shelter in during the harsh winter months, opens on 11 November 2019.
12 October, 2018
Thanet RISE officially launched on Wednesday 10 October. It is a new project set up specifically to support rough sleepers in the district.