‘Staggering’ numbers of people sleeping rough in Cornwall

A homeless charity has said the number of people accessing its services is the highest it has ever been.

St Petrocs said it had supported 153 people who were sleeping on Cornwall’s streets in October – a 35% increase on the same month in 2024.

The charity has launched its winter campaign early due to the freezing temperatures and will be rapidly rehoming people between November 2025 and February 2026, it said.

Lois Wild, director of engagement at St Petrocs, said: “We are seeing such high numbers of people sleeping rough at the moment, the figures are really staggering.”

In September 2025, the charity worked with 176 people sleeping rough – it said this was the highest number of people it has ever recorded in one month.

Mr Wild said: “The cost of living crisis has had such an impact on people, pushing more and more people into homelessness.

“There’s such a shortage of affordable housing and very few private rental properties.”

Mike, 33, ended up sleeping on the streets after his relationship broke down after his birthday in November.

“It’s demoralising, it turns your world upside down,” he said.

“I didn’t see it coming. One week you are thinking happy days and planning work and your shopping list and then the next week you are thinking, ‘Where’s the doorway, where is there no rain?’.”

For women, sleeping on the streets can be extremely dangerous.

One woman who uses St Petrocs’ services but did not want to be identified said: “It’s scary.

“You have to stay awake, you don’t know if someone will burn your tent, you don’t know who might hurt you, you could get murdered, raped.”

St Petrocs runs two community-based resource centres in Truro and Penzance.

These provide tailored housing advice and guidance, access to a GP, toilets, shower facilities, hot food, hot beverages, a postal service, bedding, clothing and access to volunteer-led activities.