Rough Sleeping

What should I do if I see someone rough sleeping / living in a tent or vehicle (not Travellers)?

• If you see someone living in a tent or a vehicle, report it to Street Link
• For information on Travellers, visit the Council's Gypsies and Traveller webpages

What will happen after I’ve reported them?

• Details provided to Street Link will be sent to the council’s Homeless Outreach team to help us to locate the individual and connect them to support.
• If someone is living in a vehicle we will also alert Sussex Police and WSCC.

What should I do if there is anti-social behaviour eg noise, drug-taking, litter etc?

• Report anti-social behaviour to the Council's Community Safety Team
• Report littering to the Council's Recycling and Waste Team
• Report drug-taking to Sussex Police

Can the Council move rough sleepers on HDC land immediately?

• The Council may already be working with the  individual concerned to help the person into settled permanent accommodation
• If the owner of the tent or vehicle is not committing criminal damage and is not a danger to the public, then the police cannot enforce removal
• Removing a rough sleeper from Council land cannot be done immediately. There is a legal process that needs to be followed which can take some time and incurs significant costs
• If someone is rough sleeping on private land, it is the landowner’s responsibility