We often get asked, ‘what should I do if I see someone who is homeless on the streets?’ Here is some useful information on how to help someone who is sleeping rough in Bristol.

Visit https://thestreetlink.org.uk/, which is a government sponsored site, where you can report that you’ve seen someone sleeping rough and they will inform St Mungo’s outreach team (local authority commissioned homeless service), who will go and find the person and offer assistance.

People experiencing homelessness or at risk of losing their home within 8 weeks, should contact the council’s Homelessness Prevention Team at the Citizen Service Point at 100 Temple Street, BS1 6AG. You can call them on 0117 352 6800 or you can visit: 9am – 4pm: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 10am – 4pm: Wednesday.

If it is safe, and you feel comfortable to do so, talk with the person. We don’t advise giving money, but a conversation with a smile can make the person feel valued when they are so often ignored. If you are able, and would like to, you can offer to buy the person some food.

If the person is in an emergency situation please call 999 to get them assistance.

inHope services for rough sleepers

 The Wild Goose, 32 Stapleton Road, BS5 0QY. Breakfast, hot lunch, clothes, showers and more. Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 9:30am – 1:30pm.

Spring of Hope, emergency night shelter for women, open 7 nights a week. Please call 0117 405 7121 or email sohreferrals@inhope.uk. If it is out of hours, St Mungo’s Outreach Team can be contacted via the Emergency Duty Team on 01454 615 165.