THE number of people sleeping rough in Oxford is estimated to be double the total recorded in the latest street count, new figures have revealed.

Oxford City Council announced this week that it had counted 45 people sleeping rough in the city centre on one night in a recent survey.

This number, it said, was a 26 per cent decrease from the 61 rough sleepers recorded in the same count in November 2017 – the highest number ever recorded in the city.

However, the council has now revealed that a rough sleeper estimate which is calculated last month put the true number at 94, an increase from last year's estimate of 89.

While street counts can miss out some rough sleepers, the estimates tend to give a higher figure as they are intelligence-led snapshots which provide a relatively accurate picture based on data from councils, outreach teams and other service providers.

Across the whole county there has been virtually no change in the estimated number of rough sleepers – 117 in November last year up to 119 last month.

That means that 79 per cent of rough sleepers are in Oxford.

Linda Smith, the city council's deputy leader and board member for housing, said: "The impact of high and insecure private rents, austerity and welfare reform – particularly the rollout of universal credit in Oxfordshire last year – means that, despite our efforts, the estimated number of rough sleepers across the county remains unchanged.

"We will continue to work with our neighbours to tackle homelessness because we believe that nobody should have to sleep rough in Oxfordshire.”

Ms Smith said work being carried out by the city council, including providing up to 215 beds for rough sleepers this winter, was improving the situation.

This includes 41 new bed spaces funded by the Government's Rough Sleeper Initiative (RSI).

The council has won up to £1m in RSI funding to provide extra beds and services this winter and next, and is spending more than £2m on tackling the problem in 2018/ 2019.

And an Oxford Mail-backed Christmas Match Fund, run by Oxfordshire Community Foundation, is aiming to raise £100,000 for homelessness agencies across the city.

Ms Smith added: "Street counts can only ever offer a partial snapshot, and we know that there are more rough sleepers in Oxford than we are able to count.

"But street counts are useful because they give us valuable information about trends and the needs of people sleeping rough on our streets.

“November’s street count shows a worrying rise in the proportion of women sleeping rough. It also shows that people with multiple unmet needs find it hard to engage with services and leave the streets behind for good, and that many rough sleepers come to our city from outside Oxfordshire."

Ms Smith added that the council is aiming to ensure, with the support of government funding, that no one should have to sleep rough by next winter.

Andrew Gant, leader of the city council's Liberal Democrat group, said: "We recognise the good work council leaders have done in this area but would like them to go even further."

Mr Gant said the council should amend its Severe Weather Emergency Protocol to offer rough sleepers more support.

It activates SWEP on the first night of a period when the Met Office forecasts the temperature will fall to zero or below on three or more consecutive nights.

Mr Gant added: "SWEP could be activated when the temperature falls to four degrees rather than zero."

The council conducts street counts in line with national guidance developed by Homeless Link but they are not meant to give a complete picture of current rough sleepers.

Estimates include information from the rough sleeping outreach team (OxSPOT), service providers, and teams within the council.

Nearly 600 homeless people died on the streets or in temporary accommodation in England and Wales in 2017, up 24 per cent in five years, according to the Office for National Statistics.

After a slight drop in 2013, deaths have risen every year since, from 475 in 2014 to 597 last year.

The Christmas Match Fund will match any donation to Oxford Poverty Action Trust until January 6.

OxPAT is supporting Aspire Oxford, Crisis Skylight Oxford, Elmore Community Services, Emmaus Oxford, Homeless Oxfordshire, Oxford Street Population Outreach Team, The Porch Day Centre, Simon House, and SMART/CJS (Howard House).

You can make a Christmas Match Fund donation to OxPAT on the Charities Aid Foundation website at cafdonate.cafonline.org/8613#/DonationDetails