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Homeless spikes installed to stop people sleeping rough in city centre

'We don’t want to see any of these devices in our city centre,' says councillor

Sunday 29 January 2017 02:37 GMT

The spikes are designed to deter rough sleepers (MEN)

Metal spikes designed to prevent homeless people sleeping on the ground have been placed outside a building in Manchester city centre.

The council has condemned the “demeaning” devices at Pall Mall Court, which lies in a semi-sheltered area.

Manchester has seen an increase in rough sleepers, up to 78 in 2016 from 70 the previous year, and 1,600 children were living in temporary accommodation in September 2016.

The spikes are on private property, next to a building reported by the Manchester Evening News (MEN) to be managed by real estate business GVA.

The company were unable to be reached by The Independent and rebuffed a request for comment by MEN.

Cllr Pat Karney, Manchester City Council's City Centre spokesperson, said: “We don’t want to see any of these devices in our city centre.

“This is not the answer to rough sleeping, it’s demeaning in that way. There is a lot of this in places like New York and it’s not the solution. It really aggravates and alienates people.”

The causes of homelessness

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1/7The causes of homelessness

The causes of homelessness

Family Breakdown

Relationship breakdown, usually between young people and their parents or step-parents, is a major cause of youth homelessness. Around six in ten young people who come to Centrepoint say they had to leave home because of arguments, relationship breakdown or being told to leave. Many have experienced long-term problems at home, often involving violence, leaving them without the family support networks that most of us take for granted

The causes of homelessness

Complex needs

Young people who come to Centrepoint face a range of different and complex problems. More than a third have a mental health issue, such as depression and anxiety, another third need to tackle issues with substance misuse. A similar proportion also need to improve their physical health. These problems often overlap, making it more difficult for young people to access help and increasing the chances of them becoming homeless

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The causes of homelessness

Deprivation

Young people's chances of having to leave home are higher in areas of high deprivation and poor prospects for employment and education. Many of those who experience long spells of poverty can get into problem debt, which makes it harder for them to access housing

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The causes of homelessness

Gang Crime

Homeless young people are often affected by gang-related problems. In some cases, it becomes too dangerous to stay in their local area meaning they can end up homeless. One in six young people at Centrepoint have been involved in or affected by gang crime

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The causes of homelessness

Exclusion From School

Not being in education can make it much more difficult for young people to access help with problems at home or health problems. Missing out on formal education can also make it more difficult for them to move into work

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The causes of homelessness

Leaving Care

Almost a quarter of young people at Centrepoint have been in care. They often have little choice but to deal with the challenges and responsibilities of living independently at a young age. Traumas faced in their early lives make care leavers some of the most vulnerable young people in our communities, with higher chances of poor outcomes in education, employment and housing. Their additional needs mean they require a higher level of support to maintain their accommodation

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The causes of homelessness

Refugees

Around 13 per cent of young people at Centrepoint are refugees or have leave to remain, meaning it isn't safe to return home. This includes young people who come to the UK as unaccompanied minors, fleeing violence or persecution in their own country. After being granted asylum, young people sometimes find themselves with nowhere to go and can end up homeless

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Andy Burnham, the city’s Labour mayoral candidate, recently pledged to end rough sleeping in the city by 2020.

“We cannot end homelessness overnight but as Mayor I want to bring together churches, companies and voluntary groups to build a new partnership,” Mr Burnham said earlier in January.

“What we can see on our streets is the human cost of cuts to benefits, mental health, drug and alcohol services and a range of council social care services.

“We need to help people break out of extremely difficult circumstances and turn their lives around.”

Mr Burnham’s campaign team have not yet responded to a request for comment by The Independent.

Anti-homeless spikes of this type have appeared periodically in Manchester and elsewhere, and often generate public anger.

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