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NRS Healthcare data breach

Date updated: 11/09/2023

The role of the City of London Corporation

The City Corporation works year-round helping rough sleepers into accommodation. Thames Reach and St Mungo's, our commissioned outreach services, are on the streets looking out for rough sleepers every day to offer emergency accommodation and support. 

What we do to help rough sleepers

Outreach – we commission two outreach teams to respond to referrals and undertake complex case work with rough sleepers. The first priority of our teams is to locate rough sleepers and secure safe and suitable interim accommodation. Between the two teams we are actively seeking and engaging rough sleepers every day of the year. During periods of extreme cold or hot weather our teams adapt their approach by increasing shift frequency and prioritising those in most need.

Accommodation – our accommodation includes a variety of residential settings. New rough sleepers can access beds where our assessment and referral workers collaborate with guests on routes away from homelessness. We also commission a number of supported accommodation services designed to meet a variety of needs and operate a private rented sector scheme.

Tenancy support – we recognise that living with the responsibility of managing a tenancy can be stressful and confusing. We have an in-house Tenancy Support Service which includes a worker dedicated to supporting rough sleepers taking initial steps into accommodation.

Meeting needs – we have a range of partnerships aimed at meeting the needs of rough sleepers, as well as those in our accommodation. Mental health professionals undertake shifts alongside our outreach teams, and we have a specialist social worker imbedded in the City Corporation's rough sleeping team. We have commissioned a psychotherapy service to support people living with complex trauma and the City Corporation's substance misuse provider, Turning Point, works alongside our outreach teams.

Who we work with

How you can help

If you are concerned about a rough sleeper, or sleeping rough yourself, you can report this online using the Streetlink website

You, or the individual you are concerned about, may also be able to use:

If you see someone sleeping rough and you think they are suffering the effects of exposure to cold or extreme hot weather, please contact emergency services on 999

Email the City Corporation’s Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Service

The City of London Corporation remains committed to ending rough sleeping in the Square Mile. The following statement clarifies our position regarding recent changes to immigration law and its impact on rough sleepers.

The City of London Corporation’s position on changes to the Homelessness and Immigration Rules

  1. This council notes the Government Immigration Rules published on 22 October 2020, coming into effect on 1 December 2020 which made rough sleeping grounds for refusing or cancelling a person’s leave to remain in the UK.
  2. This council further notes the implementation guidance published by the Government on 20 April 2021 which clarifies how the rules will be implemented
  3. This council welcomes the government’s ongoing commitment to end rough sleeping by 2024.

The City of London Corporation believes

  1. In order to end rough sleeping, people experiencing homelessness must be able to confidently approach local services provided by this council and its commissioned partners.
  2. That the immigration rules as proposed will dissuade many people facing homelessness from accessing those services for fear that their details will be passed to immigration authorities and that this will lead to an increase in rough sleeping

The City of London Corporation therefore pledges

  1. That in order to assist the national effort to end rough sleeping we will make no direct referrals under the rough sleeping Immigration Rules
  2. The council will also not require any of our commissioned partners to make referrals or pass data to the Home Office under the Immigration rules.
  3. The council will only share information and data with the Home Office with the explicit and informed consent of the individual.
  4. To display this commitment prominently in public areas and on our website and to inform those organisations that we work with (commissioned and non-commissioned) who make referrals to us of this policy.
  5. To join Homeless Link’s #SupportDontDeport campaign and allow our logo to be identified with that campaign.

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