We work in partnership with Chess to provide a rough sleeper outreach service in the Braintree District area.
Chess is an initiative funded by The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government through Essex County Council.
Chess aims to relieve and prevent rough sleeping in the mid-Essex area.
Chess provides:
- interventions to prevent rough sleeping
- work with rough sleepers to help them off the streets
- rapid assessment of client needs
- help to move rough sleepers into private rented accommodation
- support to prevent people from re-entering the system
If you are a rough sleeper or you have concerns about a rough sleeper, you can contact Chess through the StreetLink website.
Giving money to an individual may be a natural response when faced with someone who appears to be homeless. However, it will not address the fundamental reason why that person is in that position. If you want to help those who are homeless you can contact charity groups working to make a real change.
The local organisations working with rough sleepers in the district include:
- The Salvation Army, work with homeless people both locally and across the county
- Hope House
- First Stop
Severe Weather Emergency Provision (SWEP)
We work in partnership with The Salvation Army (New Direction Centre) to offer a SWEP provision.
We put SWEP arrangements in place when the forecast for the night time temperature is zero degrees or below for three consecutive nights.
We may also put SWEP arrangements in place in the event of other adverse weather conditions.
When SWEP is in place, our Housing Options Team look to make sure that no one has to sleep out on the streets.
Homeless Emergencies
You can contact our homelessness duty office through our main phone number if:
- you become homeless outside of office hours and
- are unable to make your own short-term arrangements until the next working day
