It is news that will have the homeless underclass guarding their cardboard boxes more closely than ever, writes PAUL HARRIS. Their number has rocketed by a third throughout Oxford despite a huge investment to get them off the streets.

All efforts to help are failing in the city - due mainly to its drugs culture and savage cuts in housing benefit.

Paddy O'Hanlon, manager of the Oxford Night Shelter, said: "I cannot understand it. The money has come in and we have all worked very hard but we have not made any inroads into the rough sleeping problem."

The cash has been pouring in - with a variety of initiatives and homeless groups designed to give rough sleepers a bed for the night. The Oxford Night Shelter has room for 50 people a night, with dinner, bed and breakfast costing just £2 - with overheads covered by Government handouts. Yet still the number of rough sleepers grows. Three years ago Night Shelter, in a city-wide study, found 39 rough sleepers.

In a headcount last month (SEPT), that number had swollen to more than 60 a night - an increase of around 30 per cent.

The members of this cardboard community are getting younger, too. There are more teenagers, more drug addicts and more alcoholics.

Sadly, many rough sleepers in the city are being turned away by many private landlords after the Government tightened up the benefits system. In the past, landlords were able to make a profit by claiming benefit on behalf of rough sleepers under their roof.

Now rent officers inspect properties before allocating benefit, which means some landlords who gave homeless organisations first refusal on beds cannot afford to any longer. Mr O'Hanlon added: "It is the Government's excuse to cut down the amount of money being paid to landlords, because some of them are making a large amount of money from the system.

"They were handing out large sums to put people up for bed and breakfast. But some of the landlords cannot afford to house the homeless."

A huge rise in drug-taking means some addicts cannot afford to buy a room and end up in shop doorways or cardboard boxes. But the majority of rough sleepers are not addicts spaced-out on heroin.

While the number of homeless people under 25 has rocketed, the benefit given to them has been severely cut. Now it buys just a spare room in a shared house - of which there are few - with the street the only other option. Penny Randall, of the city's housing department, said: "I do think drugs are a contributory factor; once people are living a chaotic lifestyle it is much harder to keep accommodation.

"I think it is a combination of the benefit situation and drugs."

It is clear that 40 per cent of rough sleepers are long-term Oxford residents. Thirty per cent have been here at least six months, and a further 30 per cent are transient.

They are attracted, it is believed, by Oxford's growing drugs culture, its central geographic position and knowledge that the city is a pleasant place to live.

Oxford's range of day centre services, such as The Gatehouse drop-in centre, in St Michael's Street, and The Porch in east Oxford, also act as a magnet for homeless in other areas.

These well-meaning groups are becoming a victim of their own success. Sadly, without extra benefits or funding for purpose-built homeless houses, the crisis is likely to get worse. In January, the Government will review how much money to give Oxford's homeless problem. But there is no guarantee the money will be increased, or that it will go towards housing.

Without it, Oxford's rough sleepers will remain on the streets. They cannot survive on goodwill alone, despite the best efforts of Oxford's carers.

AIMING TO GIVE SHELTER

This year's Oxford Sleep-out aims to raise more than £20,000 in a bid to highlight the problem of homelessness in the city.

Organised by the Oxford Night Shelter, the sponsored sleep-out - on November 14, in St Clement's Churchyard, Marston Road, Oxford - will be one of several events across the county to raise funds for homeless organisations.

Among the activities was a street collection in Oxford by city councillors from the housing committee last weekend which raised more than £1,000.

Seven members of the committee rattled their collecting tins in support of ten local charities and agencies providing shelter for homeless and badly housed people.

Other fundraising events will include a mini sleep-out in schools, youth clubs or community groups across the county and a collection in Oxford's pubs on November 14.

Homelessness in Oxford is a huge and growing problem with more than 1,000 households presenting themselves to the City Housing Department as homeless.

Although night shelters and drop-in centres try to provide support, the numbers of homeless means they do not have the resources to help.

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