Warning of increased fatalities if Derby’s rough sleeping service shuts

Concerns have emerged regarding a potential increase in fatalities among vulnerable rough sleepers in Derby if a vital emergency housing service is unable to continue operating due to financial constraints. Safe Space, operated by Derby City Mission, provides multiple beds, a food bank, shared spaces, and opportunities for dental and general practitioner examinations to individuals facing homelessness and addiction. According to a recent report from the city council, the service has decreased mortality rates within Derby’s street population by 80% since its inception in 2019. However, the funding for this service, which originates from a collaborative effort between local government bodies and the central government, is set to significantly decrease when the government withdraws its contribution in March 2025. Louise Tye weighed only 6st (38kg) when she initially sought assistance following a 25-year struggle with drug addiction. The 42-year-old individual acknowledged she was in “a bad way” upon entering the emergency accommodation service. “No one’s been able to help me throughout the years – they’ve tried,” stated Louise, who had been addicted to heroin and crack cocaine. “I’ve started to love myself because of these people….without this, we’re just going to go backwards.” She attributes the preservation of her life to Safe Space and Lewis Davenport, a 22-year-old support worker there. He commented that the service offers individuals such as Louise an opportunity. The initial agreement for Safe Space stipulated £100,000 contributions from both Derby Homes and the local police and crime commissioner, alongside £125,000 from the government, with Derby City Mission covering any remaining deficit. Currently operating with a deficit of just under £300,000, the service might be forced to cease operations unless alternative funding sources emerge to bridge the financial gap created by the government’s withdrawal and escalating expenses, amounting to several hundred thousand pounds. The city council’s report indicates that this situation would lead to an increase in fatalities. According to two independent assessments, without Safe Space, Derby and its public services “would experience an immediate and significant additional draw on respective resources, and health inequalities and mortality rates would rise again after a period of notable improvement”. Dean Purdy, a recovering drug addict who was sleeping on Derby’s streets only a few months prior, stated there was “no help” available before the service began. He remarked, “Basically all the addicts were left to run round town, anti-social behaviour, you can only begin to imagine. There was lots of problems with substances.” “I came from the prison system, bit of a broken family…for two or three years I became a real problem in this town.” “I honestly think I would be dead if it wasn’t for this place. Without this place, we’re stuck.” Grace Palmer serves as Derbyshire Police’s homelessness coordinator, acting as the liaison between law enforcement and the city’s rough sleeping population. She asserts that the service is crucial for alleviating strain on the already overburdened local public services. She commented, “I don’t know many cities that have got a facility like this.” “Everything that comes through here, if this space wasn’t here, would need to be dealt with by other people – police, ambulance, A&E.” “The anti-social behaviour, calls to police, calls to ambulance have reduced from the cohort the Safe Space help and support.” Dan Land, the service manager, states that it is the sole facility in the city providing accommodation and access to services for vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness. “We see 500 different homeless people come through us each year. Overnight we sleep around 200 different people throughout the year.” “We’re working with people who are at high risk of death, they are categorised as high risk of death.” “If we were not here, I would not even like to think how many more [deaths] there might be.” A representative for Derby City Council indicated that efforts were underway to identify “other stakeholders in the city” who would commit to sustaining the service. A government spokesperson stated: “This government has inherited devastating levels of rough sleeping, and we are taking action to get back on track to end homelessness for good.” Readers can follow BBC Derby on Facebook, X, or Instagram, and submit story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp at 0808 100 2210. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.