Skip to main content

Artwork that expresses the help and support we offer to those facing homelessness. A landscape scene that includes a bridge, water, homes and a sun in a sky suggesting a brighter future.

Have your say on our new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy

New Forest District Council has updated its Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy following a detailed review carried out with service users, partners, staff, and the Council’s Tenant Involvement Group. The review identified areas where we are performing well—such as the significant reduction in rough sleeping—and highlighted opportunities to strengthen prevention, support, accommodation, and partnership working.

We would like to invite you to join the conversation and help to shape how the Council implements the strategy over the next five years. This includes how we prevent homelessness, support people at risk, work with partners, provide temporary accommodation, and continue efforts to ensure rough sleeping is rare, brief and non‑recurring.

We would like to hear about your experiences, suggestions, and ideas so, together, we can help to shape this plan and ensure it delivers for those who need us most.

New Forest Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2026 to 31 v4(1) Appendix 1 PDF.pdf

(501.9 KB)

7 weeks left

Phases

Phases overview

Phase 1: Join the conversation!

Join the conversation!

Phase 2: How your feedback has shaped the delivery of our new strategy

How your feedback has shaped the delivery of our new strategy

Phase 3: What happens next?

What happens next?

Join the conversation!

10 March 2026 00:00 - 4 May 2026 23:00

We would like you to share your ideas and views to help to shape how the Council implements the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy over the next five years.

Here are some questions to help spark your thinking on homelessness. There are no right or wrong answers. We’re simply asking you to think openly, creatively, and compassionately. Every perspective helps.

What are your thoughts on the Council’s priorities for preventing homelessness and supporting people at risk? - What do you think works well and what could be improved.

How do you feel the Council could better support people who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of rough sleeping in the New Forest? - You may want to comment on communication, accessibility of services, support needs, temporary accommodation, or early intervention.

Is there anything you believe the Council should consider when implementing the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy over the next five years? - This could include ideas, concerns, or local issues you feel we should be aware of.

We have also produced a summary of the key points below but don't worry if you can't download it - the information is in the feedback form.

Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy key points.pdf

(96.3 KB)

9 responses

Melvyn Utley2 months ago We have all seen the rough sleeper, spotted the encampment partially hidden or in some cases openly set up in public areas. What is not seen and counted are the sofa surfers, the car and van dwellers. A separate register is needed for people who are in this situation. They may not meet the priority needs listed on the homeless link. They could be in work, single and in some situations it may be considered that they have made themselves homeless. Whilst the most vulnerable in society do get access to help and are an understandable priority, there is a gap and that gap appears to be widening. Without a measure, how do we know who is hidden from view? We have to provide the means for those not considered a priority to be considered, along with those who are. We need to create a system that is fair to everyone and not just a safety net. The system should start with:Do you consider yourself as Homeless?And go from there, not stopping because the "right" tick box requirement has not been met.

Ian Kidger2 months ago The documents set out a number of metrics which are slightly dated. The story being told lacks the detail of the lived reality of homeless persons in the New Forest Area. Whilst progress has been possible a number of persons are sofa surfing because there is no still affordable accommodation to offer. Earlier support for these persons is highly desirable and perhaps implied by the fine words. The details of actual operational planning should be shared as web resources and positive words are still very distant from vulnerable and deprived persons. What exactly is being improved apart from the charts?

Caroline Slattery 2 months ago I believe more supported housing would be very beneficial, and help people become more confident and feel secure. A home on its own doesn't solve a problem, but support can help with worries and anxieties, making them less potent and distracting. Staff who have this role, would need good training. The team leader must be someone with a lot of experience in this field. Families with children are different from singles and couples, in the sense that a child's whole future can be seriously impacted by homelessness, particularly in B&B accommodation - the lack of personal privacy, nowhere quiet to do school work or a place to bring a friend, nowhere to have your favourite toys, books etc. There shouldn't really ever be a family in B&B accommodation for six weeks, never longer. Finding appropriate accommodation for a family with children isn't straight forward. A child needs continuation, to be able to attend the same school and be with their peers, not shunted around every six weeks. Finding and being able to allocate family accommodation must be a priority.I hope adequate funding from the government will be forth coming. Good luck.

Mick Pickering3 months ago

Julie Hughes3 months ago

3 months ago Emergency accommodation!My family and I were placed in a Premier Inn for 9 months, with five of us living in one room. We had no cooking facilities, so we had to pay for three meals a day outside of the hotel. At the same time, we had to pay storage fees for all of our belongings, as we only had the clothes we could keep with us.We even had to keep milk for our baby in a bath filled with cold water because we had no proper way to store it.Both my partner and I worked from the hotel room. Family weren’t allowed to help with the children in the room, so we had to work around each other like passing ships just to manage childcare.Eventually we were given temporary accommodation, but it was 25 miles away from our children’s hometown, schools and family, in an area we didn’t know. I kept my children in their original schools for two years while we were in temporary housing, driving 100 miles a day, five days a week and that doesn’t even include the journeys to and from work.We expected things to be difficult, but once we finally started getting back on our feet, we were then hit with a huge Premier Inn bill, storage fees, and rent for the temporary accommodation as well costing us thousands.We’ve now been in our permanent home for five years, and to this day we are still paying off the storage fees and the Premier Inn costs on top of everything else.I’m sure there must be a better way to support families placed in emergency accommodation so they aren’t left dealing with long-term financial hardship on top of everything else.I believe there are ways the council could better support families in emergency accommodation. For example, helping with storage costs, providing food or supermarket vouchers when families are placed in hotels with no cooking facilities, offering travel or fuel support when temporary housing is far from children’s schools, and trying where possible to place families closer to their existing schools and support networks. Even small things such as access to basic food preparation facilities or help with storing baby milk safely would make a huge difference.Families already going through homelessness are under enormous stress, and the system shouldn’t leave them with years of debt once they finally manage to rebuild their lives.

3 months ago As giving food and money to beggars only enables them to continue their addictions put up posters at hotspots detailing and on TV what beggars will use the money they give them to buy drugs or alcohol and instead give money to homeless charities. Stop giving out free food in town centres and instead give food at locations they have to go to to collect it where they can speak to homeless advisors about their situations and addictions. Stop giving free accomodation as this enables the homeless in most circumstances more money from benefits to spend on drugs and alcohol. Work alongside Police and share information about repeat offenders of begging, ASB and thefts including sharing with Police any so called homeless persons who have an address. This should be a separate database system between Police and Councils. Stop giving benefits money to the homeless and instead give non transferable food vouchers that can only be used at a set location to only serve those that are not receiving benefits. These things are not against their human rights.

Filters

Total posts: 9

There are 9 projects available.

No values available.

Selected zero tag filters.