Welcome to the Rural Homelessness Counts Coalition, a collaborative initiative dedicated to addressing the hidden crisis of rural homelessness in England. Our mission is to raise awareness, develop solutions, and foster partnerships to ensure that everyone, regardless of their location, has access to safe and affordable housing.
Groundbreaking research conducted by the Universities of Kent and Southampton has unveiled a stark reality: rural homelessness in England is on the rise, yet it remains largely hidden and overlooked. Official government rough-sleeping figures have increased by a staggering 24% in just one year, and an alarming 91% of individuals working to combat homelessness in rural areas have witnessed a rise in homelessness over the past five years. Moreover, recent research by CPRE, the countryside charity, has also revealed that rural homelessness, in all its forms, has surged by 40% in the last five years, further highlighting the severity of this hidden crisis.
We envision a future where all individuals have access to safe and affordable housing, regardless of their location. By working together, we believe we can make a significant impact on rural homelessness and help our rural communities thrive. We aim to share knowledge and encourage partnerships between urban and rural communities, ensuring that the unique challenges faced by rural areas are addressed.
Listen to Franc’s story:
The Rural Homelessness Counts Coalition is guided by a set of principles that reflect our commitment to ending rural homelessness. These principles are rooted in our five unique pledges:
✅ Prioritising prevention-first strategies
✅ Fostering inclusion
✅ Championing community
✅ Advocating for place-based solutions
✅ Increasing the visibility of rural homelessness
We believe in investing in rural communities to pre-empt homelessness, fighting against the stigma of homelessness, channeling the close-knit nature of rural communities into a network of support, addressing the unique challenges of rural homelessness through tailored, integrated support, and shining a spotlight on the realities of rural homelessness. You can read more about our principles and see which organisations have signed up so far here.
Our mission is to bring this hidden crisis into the light and work towards sustainable solutions. The coalition aims to:
✅ Raise awareness of the existence of rural homelessness.
✅ Develop and advocate for solutions to tackle rural homelessness.
✅ Encourage the adoption of evidence-based best practices in rural communities.
✅ Foster partnerships with local authorities, rural housing associations, and other stakeholders to address the unique challenges of rural homelessness.
The coalition’s approach is rooted in collaboration and innovation. We work closely with local authorities, rural housing associations, and other stakeholders to develop and implement effective strategies for tackling rural homelessness. We are committed to exploring new approaches, learning from best practices, and continuously adapting our strategies to meet the evolving needs of rural communities.
The Rural Homelessness Counts coalition, co-ordinated by English Rural, the Local Government Association and the Centre for Homelessness Impact established a working group of local authority housing leads with the aims to identify emerging practice and develop new data-led solutions that can support local authorities to effectively respond to increasing rough sleeping in rural areas during housing shortages and an increasingly constrained fiscal context for local government.
We invite you to join the Rural Homelessness Counts Coalition and be part of a powerful movement working to ensure that rural homelessness is addressed. Whether you’re an individual passionate about housing equality, a local authority, a rural housing association, or another stakeholder, your support can make a difference.
By joining the coalition, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to our mission, learn from others, and help shape the future of rural housing in England.
Ready to make a difference? Sign up today to join the Rural Homelessness Counts Coalition. Together, we can ensure that everyone, no matter where they live, has a place to call home.
Thank you for your support, and welcome to the Rural Homelessness Counts Coalition. Let’s work together to make a lasting impact on rural homelessness in England.
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