ROUGH sleeping in Newport is the “worst it’s ever been” according to a local charity, as the council tackles an “unprecedented” demand for social housing.

Since 2018, Newport charity Pride in Pill has been helping rough sleepers across the city by providing food, hot drinks, and warm clothes.

“There are more and more rough sleepers. I think it’s only going to get worse,” said the group's founder Paul Murphy.

“When we first started helping the homeless in 2018, we were seeing about 20 every weekend.

“On Sunday (April 9), we gave 50 food parcels out.”

The number of rough sleepers on Newport’s streets soared in January this year to 47, according to Welsh Government figures.

In January 2021, there were 16 and in 2022 there were 12.

In comparison, in January 2023 there were 26 in Cardiff. The next highest was 13 in Ceredigion.

This month, the council said there are around 30 people sleeping rough in Newport.

A council spokesperson said: “We are dealing with an unprecedented demand for both temporary and long-term housing.

“Despite securing an increase in temporary accommodation over the last few years, the availability is simply not keeping pace with demand.”

Newport City Council offered emergency overnight provision on 32 nights during the winter months, as well as beds, bedding, toiletries and refreshments in a staffed venue in the city centre.

Mr Murphy said the current situation is the worst he's ever seen it and believes the peak in numbers is due to people moving to Newport from bigger cities, like London or Bristol, because they are “treated a lot better”.

Pride in Pill was originally set up as a litter picking group based in the Pillgwenlly area of Newport, but in 2018 joined forces with a London charity, Hands on London, to bring Wales’ first coat collection for the homelessness to the city.

Every weeknight volunteers provide food to rough sleepers, and on Sundays the team walk the streets with shopping trolleys packed up with food, hot drinks, and clothes. They also give out meal tickets from local restaurant.

But they also support others who are vulnerable, not just rough sleepers.

• If you would like support or you would like to volunteer with Pride in Pill, you can contact Paul Murphy on 07775 449 683.