Help for rough sleepers

This page lists the support available for rough sleepers. Or anyone at risk of sleeping rough.

Tell us if you are rough sleeping or you have seen or know someone who is rough sleeping.

When referring a rough sleeper, please describe their location as accurately as possible.  (e.g. if someone is rough sleeping in a park, please state where in the park, not just the name of the park).

Rough Sleeper Support services available

Emergency help

If someone who is rough sleeping needs urgent medical help or is under 18, please call 999.

Riverside

Riverside provides support to rough sleepers on behalf of the council.
If you have seen someone rough sleeping, you can connect them to support from Riverside.

If you tell us about someone you have seen rough sleeping, outreach workers will visit the person’s location. They can offer support to try to resolve rough sleeping. As well as providing help to address health concerns and other needs.

Riverside outreach workers are friendly and approachable. They will try to offer immediate help to anyone found rough sleeping.

If you are rough sleeping or know of someone that is, please refer to Streetlink (https://thestreetlink.org.uk). You can also contact Riverside by calling 01924 385 722 or email RSSS@riverside.org.uk.

When referring a rough sleeper, please describe their location as accurately as possible.  (e.g. if someone is rough sleeping in park, please state where in the park, not just the name of the park).

Are you at risk of homelessness? 

Find out about the support available from our Housing Needs Service. You don’t have to be homeless to get help. We can also help if you will become homeless in the next 56 days.

Severe Weather Emergency Provision

During periods of severe weather, the Council has funded a cold weather shelter. When open, rough sleepers will get:

• a hot evening meal
• breakfast
• a safe and warm space to sleep for that night
• the ability to shower and wash their clothes
• some clothing and toiletries (which they may be able keep, subject to availability)

The Shelter opens 8am to 8pm and is located at:

Wakefield Baptist Church

Belle Isle Avenue

WF1 5JY

(opposite the Bus Depot on Barnsley Road)

When the shelter opens, we notify local organisations and post on our social media.

Riverside visit the shelter the following morning to offer advice and support to anyone using the shelter that isn’t already known to them.

You can also check whether the shelter is open by contacting the Housing Needs Service on 01924 304 360 or if out of hours our Contact Centre on 0345 8 506 506.