See answers to previous information requests

I am writing to make an open government request for all the information to which I am entitled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Please can you send me Information on accommodating rough sleepers*, and your policy of ‘reconnecting’ EU Nationals**. For the purposes of this request ‘reconnection’ is defined as the process of supporting EU Citizens to return, in a planned way, to an area where they have family and social networks and/or where they can access accommodation if someone does not have access to benefits/public funds, has no or very limited employment prospects, cannot access private rented accommodation and is homeless/ in unsuitable accommodation.
Wokingham Borough Council adheres to the Homelessness Code of Guidance issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homelessness-code-of-guidance-for-local-authorities
The definition for Rough Sleepers is as follows:
• People sleeping, about to bed down (sitting on/in or standing next to their bedding) or actually bedded down in the open air (such as on the street, in tents, doorways, parks, bus shelters or encampments).
• People in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (such as stairwells, barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats, stations, or “bashes” which are makeshift shelters often comprised of cardboard boxes).
The definition does not include:
• People in hostels or shelters.
• People in campsites or other sites used for recreational purposes or organised protest.
• Squatters.
• Travellers.

1. How many rough sleepers in your local authority area were accommodated in total between (a) 01 October 2020-30 June 2021 and then (b) 01 July 2021-01 April 2023?
01 Oct 20 to 30 June 21: 37
01 July 21 to 01 April 23: 30

2. How many of the rough sleepers accommodated at any time during these periods (a) 01 October 2020-30 June 2021 and (b) 01 July 2021-01 April 2023?) are/were considered to be No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)?
01 Oct 20 to 30 June 21: 2
01 July 21 to 01 April 23: 1

3. How many of the rough sleepers accommodated at any time during these periods (a) 01 October 2020-30 June 2021 and then (b) 01 July 2021-01 April 2023 are/were EU nationals?
01 Oct 20 to 30 June 21: 0
01 July 21 to 01 April 23: 1

4. Have any rough sleepers placed in accommodation during this time ((a) 01 October 2020-30 June 2021 and then (b) 01 July 2021-01 April 2023) been supported through a reconnection service to another part of the UK or to return to country of origin as well as information on the age, gender, nationality and marital status of those who have subsequently accessed a reconnection service.
01 Oct 20 to 30 June 21: 0
01 July 21 to 01 April 23: 2*
*1 reconnected to another part of UK (age 25-35, male, UK national, marital status not recorded)
1 reconnected to country of origin (age 25-35, male, EU national, marital status not recorded)

5. Information (if any) more broadly on the number of people (excluding rough sleepers- as asked above) who have been supported through a reconnection service to another part of the UK or to return to country of origin as well as information on the age, gender, nationality and marital status of those who have accessed a reconnection service.
0

6. Information on the source of funding for reconnecting/ supporting people to another part of the UK/ return to their country of origin?
Wokingham Borough Council’s Rough Sleeping Services is funded through the Rough Sleeping Initiative (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rough-sleeping-initiative-2022-to-2025-funding-allocations) and the Homelessness Prevention Grant (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homelessness-prevention-grant-2023-to-2025)