8.1. Rough sleeping verification is the process councils use to confirm and record instances of people sleeping rough, providing data to inform support and measure progress. However, it can present a narrow view, as it often misses hidden rough sleepers.
8.2. This practice can often miss individuals who do not feel safe ‘bedding down’ in busier public areas. This practice has been evidenced to unfairly disadvantage women and people who identify as LGBTQ+ who often avoid overt street sleeping due to fear of violence, abuse or exploitation, instead sheltering in hidden or non-traditional places that aren't captured in official counts. A national Women's Rough Sleeping Census found that up to ten times more women are sleeping rough than official figures suggest, because traditional methods miss people who are not visibly ‘bedded down’ on the streets.
8.3. The Government's 'A National Plan to End Homelessness' reinforces the move towards a more needs-based approach for local authorities and promotes the consistent use of the Ending Rough Sleeping Risk Assessment Tool (ERSRAT). We will use this tool alongside traditional verification methods in cases where it is clear that an individual is visibly 'bedded down'.