Female hidden homelessness in North Tyneside to be surveyed
Work to understand the scale of female homelessness to begin
A new effort to understand the scale of women rough sleeping in North Tyneside is being launched after concerns about female homelessness nationwide.
The Mayor of North Tyneside, Karen Clark, told councillors during a full council meeting last week that the local authority will sign up to the Women’s Rough Sleeping Census, which surveys the experiences of homeless women across England.
Last year’s census revealed over 1,000 women rough sleeping in areas including London and other parts of England, a figure much higher than the government’s count of 680 rough sleeping women for the same year.
Ms Clark explained that women rough sleepers may be less visible due to safety concerns. They are more likely to avoid exposed locations, spending nights in places such as hospital waiting rooms, public transport and squats, or walking until morning, and moving locations regularly.
Ms Clark said North Tyneside Council provides support for homeless people, which includes provision for female rough sleepers. She revealed that three women had been supported by the service within the current financial year, an increase on previous years despite still being a minority in this group.
“It is widely accepted that women face increased vulnerabilities and as a consequence women are believed to be more hidden and therefore at a disadvantage to accessing services,” Ms Clark continued.
Ending her remarks, Ms Clark confirmed the council would be joining the Women’s Rough Sleeping Census for future surveys following its completion for 2025.