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| How did rough sleeping hit the local high streets? | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Rough sleeping in England has reached record levels - with figures published on Thursday showing an annual rise of 15%, representing a 169% increase since 2010. | Rough sleeping in England has reached record levels - with figures published on Thursday showing an annual rise of 15%, representing a 169% increase since 2010. |
| It's no longer confined to London and the big cities - three quarters are outside the capital - and rough sleepers have been appearing in tents and shop doorways in towns where it seems unexpected and out of place. | It's no longer confined to London and the big cities - three quarters are outside the capital - and rough sleepers have been appearing in tents and shop doorways in towns where it seems unexpected and out of place. |
| Map built with Carto | Map built with Carto |
| Tony, a 72-year-old former railway worker, is living in a small blue tent in a concrete underpass. | Tony, a 72-year-old former railway worker, is living in a small blue tent in a concrete underpass. |
| It gives him some shelter from the bitingly cold January wind blowing along Midsummer Boulevard, not far from families shopping in Milton Keynes. | It gives him some shelter from the bitingly cold January wind blowing along Midsummer Boulevard, not far from families shopping in Milton Keynes. |
| It's not the kind of town where you'd expect to see clusters of homeless people, their tents and mattresses a few yards away from Costa coffee and Marks and Spencer. | It's not the kind of town where you'd expect to see clusters of homeless people, their tents and mattresses a few yards away from Costa coffee and Marks and Spencer. |
| It's the classic new town, a model of modern post-War optimism, laid out as neatly as a circuit board. | It's the classic new town, a model of modern post-War optimism, laid out as neatly as a circuit board. |
| There aren't any books called Down and Out in Milton Keynes. But homelessness seems to be coming closer to home. | There aren't any books called Down and Out in Milton Keynes. But homelessness seems to be coming closer to home. |
| There are lines of tents in the underpasses, and a hut made of wood and bits of plastic is wedged under a road bridge. | There are lines of tents in the underpasses, and a hut made of wood and bits of plastic is wedged under a road bridge. |
| Expensive rent | Expensive rent |
| Tony, one of an estimated 130 rough sleepers in the middle of Milton Keynes, has been homeless for almost a year, saying he lost his flat after a problem over rent and benefits, which ended with the bailiffs on his doorstep. | Tony, one of an estimated 130 rough sleepers in the middle of Milton Keynes, has been homeless for almost a year, saying he lost his flat after a problem over rent and benefits, which ended with the bailiffs on his doorstep. |
| He says that he can afford to eat, but has no chance of being able to afford private rent. | He says that he can afford to eat, but has no chance of being able to afford private rent. |
| "What can I do?" he says. | "What can I do?" he says. |
| He is not self-pitying and doesn't blame anyone else, but sits in his hat and coat beside the one-man tent that now holds all his possessions. He says his family could call him if they wanted to get in touch. | He is not self-pitying and doesn't blame anyone else, but sits in his hat and coat beside the one-man tent that now holds all his possessions. He says his family could call him if they wanted to get in touch. |
| "Every time I wake up, it's a bonus," he says. | "Every time I wake up, it's a bonus," he says. |
| As the problem has become more visible, there have been innovative and creative acts of generosity. | As the problem has become more visible, there have been innovative and creative acts of generosity. |
| Robbie Williams's old bus | Robbie Williams's old bus |
| Tom Davis, who was once homeless himself, founded a charity to convert a bus into temporary accommodation - a "bus shelter". | |
| The coach being turned into bunk beds for 16 homeless people was once a touring bus for Robbie Williams and his road crew. | The coach being turned into bunk beds for 16 homeless people was once a touring bus for Robbie Williams and his road crew. |
| As well as providing a safe bed for the night, the bus will provide an address, allowing people to sign up for GPs and health services. | As well as providing a safe bed for the night, the bus will provide an address, allowing people to sign up for GPs and health services. |
| Tom says it will also help with one of the big unacknowledged problems for rough sleepers, the intense loneliness. | Tom says it will also help with one of the big unacknowledged problems for rough sleepers, the intense loneliness. |
| Among the new homeless in Milton Keynes are people who are working. Some of these are caught in the unreliable incomes of zero-hour contracts. | Among the new homeless in Milton Keynes are people who are working. Some of these are caught in the unreliable incomes of zero-hour contracts. |
| But others, such as Isaac, are working full-time. | But others, such as Isaac, are working full-time. |
| This project manager has found himself temporarily part of the town's homeless population, staying in a winter shelter. | This project manager has found himself temporarily part of the town's homeless population, staying in a winter shelter. |
| He says that being presentable, not being on drugs and not appearing vulnerable, has made it even harder to get help. | He says that being presentable, not being on drugs and not appearing vulnerable, has made it even harder to get help. |
| 'Shocking' to local people | 'Shocking' to local people |
| This rise in rough sleeping has shocked local people. | This rise in rough sleeping has shocked local people. |
| Pam Williams, who chairs the bus shelter project, says she got involved because she was so upset when she saw homeless people appearing outside the train station. | Pam Williams, who chairs the bus shelter project, says she got involved because she was so upset when she saw homeless people appearing outside the train station. |
| A local street cleaner goes by, who says he was once part of the less visible homeless population - spending days and nights with his wife in late-night fast food restaurants. | A local street cleaner goes by, who says he was once part of the less visible homeless population - spending days and nights with his wife in late-night fast food restaurants. |
| Who are the rough sleepers? | Who are the rough sleepers? |
| The reasons for this increase are as varied as the stories of the rough sleepers. | The reasons for this increase are as varied as the stories of the rough sleepers. |
| It might relate to benefits changes, unaffordable housing, low incomes, addiction, relationship breakdowns, mental health problems, debt, bereavement. | It might relate to benefits changes, unaffordable housing, low incomes, addiction, relationship breakdowns, mental health problems, debt, bereavement. |
| There are former servicemen and ex-prisoners - and there are people who do not fit into any of these stereotypes. | There are former servicemen and ex-prisoners - and there are people who do not fit into any of these stereotypes. |
| Under attack | Under attack |
| Homelessness, once associated with the big cities, is snaking across the country. | Homelessness, once associated with the big cities, is snaking across the country. |
| The train line north from London goes through Milton Keynes and then to Crewe, where rough sleeping now lives alongside quiet red-brick terraces. | The train line north from London goes through Milton Keynes and then to Crewe, where rough sleeping now lives alongside quiet red-brick terraces. |
| A homeless man's tent is floodlit by the windows of a leisure centre, where families are hurrying inside from the cold. | A homeless man's tent is floodlit by the windows of a leisure centre, where families are hurrying inside from the cold. |
| A short distance away is a small indoor car park. In the far corner, behind the rows of family saloons, there's a flag of Saint George hanging over a tangle of mattresses and bedding. | A short distance away is a small indoor car park. In the far corner, behind the rows of family saloons, there's a flag of Saint George hanging over a tangle of mattresses and bedding. |
| Ian and Will are living there, dressed in layers and ready for more than the elements. | Ian and Will are living there, dressed in layers and ready for more than the elements. |
| They say that local youngsters regularly attack them when they're sleeping, throwing bricks at them or assaulting them. | They say that local youngsters regularly attack them when they're sleeping, throwing bricks at them or assaulting them. |
| Homeless in your home town | Homeless in your home town |
| Ian says they can't even defend themselves because they think they will get the blame if they try to tackle the teenagers circling nearby. | Ian says they can't even defend themselves because they think they will get the blame if they try to tackle the teenagers circling nearby. |
| He might be described as "homeless", but Crewe is Ian's home town. The streets where he now sleeps rough were the same streets he walked to school. | He might be described as "homeless", but Crewe is Ian's home town. The streets where he now sleeps rough were the same streets he walked to school. |
| "It's embarrassing seeing people you grew up with," he says. | "It's embarrassing seeing people you grew up with," he says. |
| Will, shaking and unsteady, has Huntingdon's disease and says he has returned to the streets after a long spell in hospital. | Will, shaking and unsteady, has Huntingdon's disease and says he has returned to the streets after a long spell in hospital. |
| "It could be worse," says Ian. | "It could be worse," says Ian. |
| "Not much," says Will. | "Not much," says Will. |
| Severe weather shelter | Severe weather shelter |
| It's apparent how much help depends on volunteers and charities. | It's apparent how much help depends on volunteers and charities. |
| Will and Ian say they are able to survive only because of help from Bernard Potter, a retired accountant who helped to set up Looking After the Homeless (LATH), a group of volunteers who provide food, advice and a drop-in centre. | Will and Ian say they are able to survive only because of help from Bernard Potter, a retired accountant who helped to set up Looking After the Homeless (LATH), a group of volunteers who provide food, advice and a drop-in centre. |
| It's such unsung people, a no-nonsense pensioner in a flat cap, who are keeping people alive. | It's such unsung people, a no-nonsense pensioner in a flat cap, who are keeping people alive. |
| When there's severe weather, the local YMCA in Crewe lets people stay inside. There are already more than 60 regular residents - and on top of this another seven camp beds are set up for the night. | When there's severe weather, the local YMCA in Crewe lets people stay inside. There are already more than 60 regular residents - and on top of this another seven camp beds are set up for the night. |
| Chris, who has one of the beds, talks openly about his troubles with crack and heroin. | Chris, who has one of the beds, talks openly about his troubles with crack and heroin. |
| He's also homeless in his own home town. When he was sleeping rough, he saw people he knew from school. | He's also homeless in his own home town. When he was sleeping rough, he saw people he knew from school. |
| "They've got houses, they've got family. We've got nothing... except a camp bed," he says. "It destroys your head sometimes." | "They've got houses, they've got family. We've got nothing... except a camp bed," he says. "It destroys your head sometimes." |
| Toes lost to frostbite | Toes lost to frostbite |
| Being inside for the night means warmth and safety from the threat of being beaten up by bored teenagers. | Being inside for the night means warmth and safety from the threat of being beaten up by bored teenagers. |
| "You wake up shivering, the rain battering down on you and you've nowhere else to go," Chris says. | "You wake up shivering, the rain battering down on you and you've nowhere else to go," Chris says. |
| Across the room is a middle-aged Polish man. He has a gentle manner, but speaks almost no English. Using Google Translate, he says he was a farm worker but was never paid wages and lost both his work and accommodation after he had been in hospital for an operation. | Across the room is a middle-aged Polish man. He has a gentle manner, but speaks almost no English. Using Google Translate, he says he was a farm worker but was never paid wages and lost both his work and accommodation after he had been in hospital for an operation. |
| He has ended up on a camp bed in the YMCA, wearing a Christmas jumper. It's hard to imagine anyone looking more stuck and isolated. | He has ended up on a camp bed in the YMCA, wearing a Christmas jumper. It's hard to imagine anyone looking more stuck and isolated. |
| Joel Lewis, a manager at the YMCA, says he's seen the levels of homelessness getting worse, with demand in Crewe up by almost 40% compared with the previous year. | Joel Lewis, a manager at the YMCA, says he's seen the levels of homelessness getting worse, with demand in Crewe up by almost 40% compared with the previous year. |
| He says he's worried such rising numbers will mean that shelters will become like "warehouses", unable to offer the support so sorely needed. | He says he's worried such rising numbers will mean that shelters will become like "warehouses", unable to offer the support so sorely needed. |
| His colleague Matt Coles says he has seen people arriving who have lost fingers and toes to frostbite. | His colleague Matt Coles says he has seen people arriving who have lost fingers and toes to frostbite. |
| With numbers rising to record levels across the country, it could be a long winter for those sleeping rough and those trying to help them. | With numbers rising to record levels across the country, it could be a long winter for those sleeping rough and those trying to help them. |
| Video and additional reporting Michael Buchanan, Camilla Horrox and Jonathan Sumberg. |