Census to map women's rough sleeping as advocates press for female-only housing in the North East

Councils on Tyneside will for the first time be included in the Women’s Rough Sleeping Census, a government-led effort to quantify the scale of female homelessness and the services that support it. The data collection runs from Sept. 22 to Sept. 28, with results due in October. Officials say the census aims to give a clearer picture of how many women sleep rough, how many are in need of female-only accommodation, and where gaps in provision remain. Local authorities in the North East said the information will help tailor services and press for more funding.

Interviews with women who have experienced rough sleeping in the region describe mixed-sex hostels as dangerous and inflexible. One woman who uses the name Jay described a Sunderland hostel as 'ruthless, full of alcoholics, drug users' and said that in her first week 'three lads were taken out in body bags.' She added that there were not reliable background checks on residents, creating a risk for women seeking safety after abuse. 'You could be in there with a nasty person. That’s a risk women think of before they pick up that phone,' she said.

Leanne, another woman who spoke to the BBC, said she spent months sofa-surfing because she was 'too scared' to stay in a mixed-sex hostel after a traumatic experience. She recalled being known locally as 'the bag lady' as she carried her belongings between friends' houses and temporary arrangements.

Tracey Guy, speaking for Shelter North East, said many homeless women do not bed down on the streets because they fear danger. They sleep in cars, in accident and emergency units, or in fast-food outlets, or stay with perpetrators because, she said, an unsafe situation can feel safer than sleeping in a doorway. 'They will sleep in cars, accident and emergency units, fast-food outlets,' she said. 'Or they stay with perpetrators [of abuse] because, actually, an unsafe situation feels safer than sleeping in a doorway.'

Emmaus North East runs a women-only house. Chief executive Ruth Parker said most of the women they supported had suffered trauma, domestic abuse and sexual violence. 'Putting a person who has faced that on to the street, where they are vulnerable to those things again, we have to try and eradicate,' she said. Emmaus plans to open a new women-only premises in 2026, but Parker said more were needed. 'Supported accommodation, specific to women, has to be high priority.'

Shelter North East has estimated that the number of female rough sleepers in north-east England has risen sharply in recent years—by about 425% over five years—though charities caution the official figures are likely undercounts because many women conceal their homelessness.

The BBC asked every local authority in the North East about current provision. Most said they have beds in mixed-sex hostels, but several councils reported little or no access to female-only accommodation. Newcastle City Council joined the census for the first time. Councillor Paula Maines, the cabinet member for housing, said the data could help ensure women get services they need and could be used to press government for more funding.

The census runs from Sept. 22 to Sept. 28 as part of a broader effort to understand and address homelessness among women. A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: 'The Women’s Census helps us understand the challenges women face when getting the right support. We’re spending £1 billion on vital services so that women who are sleeping rough can get safe and appropriate help. This is a first step to get us back on track towards ending homelessness once and for all.'

Findings will be released in October, and charities said they hope the results reveal truer numbers and prompt more support for women like Jay and Leanne, including expansion of female-only accommodation and services.