A rising tide of homelessness in Fenland is being tackled by the council with a new five-year strategy.

Fenland District Council is unveiling its comprehensive Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy for public consultation.

The strategy outlines how the council aims to continue to handle homelessness and rough sleeping up to 2029, building on ongoing efforts to end the issue permanently.

Since 2018, demand for homelessness services has surged in the region.

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The council experienced more than 2,000 requests for support in 2022/23, marking a rise of 12.77pc from 2018/19.

There's also been a 20pc increase in pleas for help from families with children in recent years.

There are various reasons contributing to the surge, including changes in relationships or living situations, increase in domestic violence and the end of private rental agreements.

The cost of living crisis and insufficient supply of housing have also put more families at risk.

Cllr Sam Hoy, the Council’s portfolio holder for housing, said: “Whilst we have made significant headway to reaching our goal of zero rough sleepers in Fenland, we face significant challenges in homelessness moving forward, with the cost of living crisis and those rough sleepers without recourse to public funds or those who are not yet ready to engage.

“Despite the challenges, our draft strategy is one of ambition and creativity.

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"We hope it will build on the innovations already delivered by the council, strong partnership working and a service which is already delivering good outcomes for many people.”

The council's strategic priorities include using housing powers to prevent homelessness, reducing rough sleeping, meeting housing needs, improving housing conditions and keeping homes safe and accessible.

Residents are invited to assess the draft strategy and action plan.

They can read the documents in paper format, or partake in an online survey via the council's website, running from July 8 to September 15.