'Moving into a hostel for rough sleepers saved my life'

St John's House is not like an ordinary hostel; it offers help with mental health issues, drug and substance misuse, managing finances and accessing benefits.

Marcus, who had been living on the streets on and off for four years, moved into St John's House in Northampton in December.

The 25-bed homeless and rough sleeping facility opened in the town late last year to help people "rebuild their independence".

He told BBC Politics East: "I do believe coming here saved my life."

Rough sleeping has hit a post-pandemic high, and the number living on the streets in the East of England has risen to 643 in 2025, compared with 412 in 2024, according to the charity Shelter.

Across the UK, more than 9,000 people are thought to be sleeping rough, an increase of 94% since 2023.

Marcus, 61, was due to spend his fourth Christmas sleeping rough when he moved.

"I felt a bit of trepidation at first, but when they brought me here and showed me around, I wanted it," he said.

He has been living with addiction for more than 30 years and added: "I was on heroin and crack cocaine. I was injecting myself for 12 years.

"I lost two marriages, my two kids, I lost everything. I am just so glad to be here. There's a lot of people who I know who aren't around anymore, and I don't want to be one of them."

Since moving in a couple of months ago, he has got back into colouring and drawing and is currently working his way through pictures for the staff.

Emma, 41, had been sleeping rough for about nine months before moving in at the end of November.

"I was street homeless, partly to do with mental health issues, partly to do with other issues that homeless people have, like addiction," she said.

"I got in a place where I was untreated and in trouble with the criminal justice system, and living here has saved my life.

"I needed someone to take a chance on me and provide the right kind of support."

She added: "When you've been on the street for so long, things that people who are housed take for granted - things like being able to get up in the morning and flick the kettle on, being able to go to the toilet when you want - It's simple little things like that, that make such a massive difference."

Across Northamptonshire, official estimates suggest that 79 people sleep rough every month, a small decrease on the previous year.

In West Northamptonshire, the latest figures for the number of people found sleeping rough have risen from 15 in 2021 to 36 in 2023.

The government said it had launched a national strategy to end homelessness, and as part of that, it aimed to "halve the number of people experiencing long-term rough sleeping".

"For too long, people who have spent years on the streets, often with the most complex needs, have been left with no help," a government spokesman said.

"This strategy rewires the system to focus support where it's needed most.

"A new £124m supported housing scheme has been launched to get over 2,500 people across England off the streets and into more stable housing, as well as preventing those from getting to the streets in the first place."

The plan also includes a new £15m long-term rough sleeping innovation programme, which will help councils develop fresh solutions, and £37m of funding to increase support for voluntary and faith groups providing support.

BBC Politics East will be broadcast on Sunday, 15 February at 10:00 BST on BBC One in the East of England, and will be available after broadcast on the BBC iPlayer.

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