Bracknell Forest drafts new plan to curb homelessness

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-10 18:38 3 min read

A makeshift animal shelter constructed from wooden pallets and tarps in an urban setting.

Bracknell Forest Council is preparing to consult residents on a five-year strategy intended to further reduce homelessness and rough sleeping. Council figures show that the number of households assessed as homeless or at risk fell by 25% between 2019–2020 and 2024–2025, although hundreds of households still required help in the latest period.

Homelessness fell, while temporary accommodation remained stable

According to an update published by Bracknell Forest Council on 16 July 2026, the borough recorded 429 households as homeless or at risk of homelessness in 2024–2025. That was 144 fewer than the 573 recorded in 2019–2020.

Headline measure	Council figure
Households assessed as homeless or at risk, 2019–2020	573
Households assessed as homeless or at risk, 2024–2025	429
Reduction between the two periods	25%
Annual rough-sleeper counts over the past five years	Between 2 and 10 people

The council says homelessness is below the rates for both the South East and England. It also reports that the number of households in temporary accommodation has remained stable while many other areas have experienced large increases. No comparative rates or precise temporary-accommodation totals were included in the update, so the scale of those differences cannot be assessed from the published figures alone.

Use of bed-and-breakfast and nightly paid accommodation has remained low. The council says no family has spent six continuous weeks or more in bed-and-breakfast accommodation during the past five years. Government data published in March also placed Bracknell Forest among the local authorities with the lowest use of expensive nightly paid accommodation nationally.

Bracknell Forest drafts new plan to curb homelessness

These measures indicate reduced demand at key points in the homelessness system, but they do not mean housing insecurity has been eliminated. The latest annual figure still represents 429 households needing homelessness assistance or prevention support.

What the rough-sleeping figures show

Annual rough-sleeper counts have ranged from two to ten people over the past five years. Separately, the council’s rough-sleeping team has recently been in contact with around three to six people each week, regularly offering accommodation and support.

The two measures describe different things: an annual count is a snapshot, while weekly contact reflects the team’s ongoing work with individuals. Neither figure should be treated as a complete measure of every person who may experience rough sleeping during a year.

The council says support is available for people facing connected pressures including money worries, mental health needs, domestic abuse and substance misuse. Its proposed approach places greater emphasis on helping residents before they reach a housing crisis and on assisting those who become homeless to find and keep a safe home.

Five priorities in the draft 2027–2032 strategy

The proposed Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy focuses on five areas aligned with the Government’s national plan:

Helping people understand their housing options, find assistance and address the causes of homelessness.
Targeting prevention and support at people facing a higher risk.
Helping residents remain in their homes before a crisis develops.
Improving temporary accommodation and residents’ experiences when homelessness occurs.
Preventing repeat homelessness and halving long-term rough sleeping.

Cllr Georgia Pickering, cabinet member for housing, community safety and communication, said progress had been made but acknowledged that further work was needed to improve prevention, support and temporary accommodation.

When residents can comment

Cabinet councillors agreed the draft plan for public consultation on Tuesday 14 July. The consultation is expected to run from August to September, giving local people an opportunity to review and comment on the proposals.

The council had not yet published submission instructions in its 16 July update. Details of how residents can take part are due to be made available shortly by Bracknell Forest Council.

Source: Bracknell Forest Council

Context & actions About this article

Source check Verified Council Report

Data synthesized from the official Bracknell Forest Council draft strategy announcement dated 16 July 2026.

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