Ipswich Borough Council’s strategy to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping is already proving successful; Ipswich has one of the lowest regional figures, and lower rates of rough sleeping than the national average, despite the national rise in homelessness. Each of the ten to 13 people on Ipswich’s streets each night is visited by outreach workers, is already known to our services or could be new to rough sleeping, and offered an assessment and support to find a place to stay.
In order to strengthen the positive work happening across the borough, the council is proposing a series of new measures to continue to help prevent homelessness and reduce rough sleeping in the town.
The proposals, which will be considered by the council's executive on 3 November 2026, include an updated homelessness and rough sleeping strategy action plan, a new temporary accommodation policy, and a long-term partnership plan to tackle rough sleeping.
The plans build on work already carried out through the council's homelessness and rough sleeping strategy for 2025-2030 and aims to prevent homelessness wherever possible and make rough sleeping rare, brief and non-recurring by focusing on partnership working and access to suitable accommodation.
Since 2025, the council has expanded homelessness prevention services, developed the Ipswich Supported Housing Pathway, strengthened work with partners and reviewed temporary accommodation provision.
A new temporary accommodation policy would help ensure households are placed in accommodation that meets their needs, while a new rough sleeping partnership plan sets out how organisations across Ipswich will work together to reduce long-term rough sleeping and make the best use of government funding.
Councillor Alasdair Ross, Portfolio Holder for Housing, said:
“Nobody should face homelessness or sleep on the streets; Ipswich Borough Council has, for several years, actively and successfully tackled the issue with a raft of strategies to prevent homelessness and support those who are homeless or sleeping rough. These new, updated plans build on the strong foundations already established and ensure that we continue to work proactively with our partners to prevent and end homelessness.”
The updated action plan would continue to focus on the council's five strategic priorities:
- Providing a high-quality housing advice service.
- Focusing on early prevention.
- Working with partners to end rough sleeping.
- Facilitating access to suitable accommodation.
- Building and maintaining partnerships that support residents.